Where the Wind Blows
by The-Chirping-Cat
Summary: In a world where spirits and Gods exist, the Chaos Festival was about to begin, an event exclusively for the supernatural. But threats sought to disrupt it: a certain Doctor seeking power, a stranger seeking an elusive ruby, and both willing to expose the supernatural community to do it. A hurricane's brewing, with a certain wind spirit in its eye. Spirit!Sonic. BEING REWRITTEN!
1. Chapter 1

**Alright! My first fanfiction (that I actually posted and not left in my folder to gather dust for who knows how long)! Now, as stated, this is an AU where some of the Sonic cast (and while I'll be mostly basing off games and the anime Sonic X, I might include characters from other media, including some OCs, mainly to explore the world and not entirely drive the plot) will be mythical creatures, spirits and/or Gods. There'll be a lot of myths and legends (and a bunch of other dimensions and energies and so much more!), and the events will feel a little disjointed, but I assure you that they all have at least a purpose and also, BIG FORESHADOWING will be here. Whether I succeed at being mysterious enough to intrigue you or be so vague that I annoy you will be up to your judgment!**

 **Now, for the disclaimers.**

 **I don't own Sonic the Hedgehog, the games, the anime and any of the characters in those media. The only things I own are the plot and the OCs.**

 **ALSO! Thanks to DgShadowChocolate for giving me permission to use an idea from her fanfic on deviantart, The Crow and the Butterfly. If you're curious about it, go check it out! I unfortunately can't say what the idea is here though (because you guys haven't read the fanfic yet!), but it will be VERY obvious.**

 **Now, let the story begin!**

* * *

Chapter 1

 _"Wind spirit, what are you doing?"_

The barely-visible form didn't acknowledge the question, continuing to playfully run around the human traversing through the snow-cloaked forest. It left behind soft breezes, sometimes being mischievous enough to nip at the human's cold nose and delighting in the way he would scrunch it up.

The speaker huffed impatiently at being ignored, but continued on, _"I will never understand your fascination with the mortals. Why the interest? They are ephemeral, never lasting long, and their actions and nature more toxic than helpful."_

 _"They are as ephemeral as you think of them to be, but not all mortals have such toxic souls,"_ the soft whisper replied, like the sound of the wind whistling through the crevices and crags of a mountain. _"And I know this particular one. Despite his shortcomings, he is quite amusing and I will admit, I am fond of him. Did you know he once dove into the river to try and save a hedgehog, even though it can swim?"_

 _"I do not share the same interest in mortals as you, wind, so do not waste my time with such tales,"_ the speaker rumbled in irritation.

 _"Oh you mountains are such stiff spirits! You do not bend from your beliefs! Harsh and rigid!"_ the wind whistled, carrying an undertone of laughter. _"But if you claim disinterest, why ask the reason behind my own interest in the first place?"_

There was silence from the mountain spirit. Another laugh escaped the wind spirit before being followed by, _"You worry needlessly! Mortals have no capability of harming me! No one can catch the wind after all. I am freedom and a drifter; I never remain in the same place for long. Those who even fancy of pursuing me will have no chance of capturing me, even if Lady Luck were to give them a helping hand!"_

 _"That is not the reason!"_ the mountain spirit retorted, but the wind merely laughed, playfully brushing past and turning to follow the traveler, and the mountain spirit eventually rumbled in defeat before doing the same.

For the rest of the day, the two spirits trailed after the traveler, who remained oblivious to their presence. The wind spirit was content in rushing around, finding entertainment in rustling the barren branches and teasing the traveler with its laughter (and the small piles of snow it pushed onto him with its breezes), while the mountain spirit did not find the need to fill the air with idle chatter.

But the mountain spirit knew of the wind's impatience. Decades spent being bothered by said spirit had taught the mountain that it would not be long before-

 _"Mountain spirit, how goes your duty? Still guarding the emeralds?"_

-the wind spirit started talking. The mountain inwardly rumbled, pondering on whether he should answer or not. Should he not, the wind would only continue to pester, and deciding that it was not worth the silence, the mountain answered, _"The Master Emerald remains safe and hidden. I have no knowledge of where the Chaos Emeralds are, but I have not felt any grave changes in the balance, nor do I sense that all seven have come together under another wielder... And the Chaos Gods..."  
_

The mountain spirit subtly glanced upwards. The bare branches were barely a suitable cover for what any other spirit could see were they to look up into the sky, where they would see flashes of colors traversing by swiftly. And even if they did not use their 'eyes', they could still sense the trails of soft gold Chaos Energy left in their wakes by the small beings known as Chaos Gods.

 _"They have been showing up more frequently,"_ he finished and went silent, letting the wind know that it was all he would say on the subject matter. The wind accepted the silence and moved onto another question, curiosity and mischief lacing its words.

 _"What of the snow?"_

Despite the vague question, the mountain spirit clearly understood what the wind was referring to, bringing disdain to his form and eliciting laughter from the wind spirit. _"She has been quite persistent, I see."_

 _"Persistent AND annoying. She keeps trying to steal the Master Emerald, sneaking through the crags and crevices of my mountain! And the most irritating factor of this is that she is not even trying to be subtle; I would see trails of her presence left behind, filling my caverns and caves! Not only is she intruding in my territory, she is also making a mess! I am quite torn on whether to feel wrathful at her continued attempts to steal the Master Emerald, or that she is doing quite a poor job at it! As if I need a handicap to do my duty!"_

If the wind spirit chose to take a mortal form, there would be an amused expression on its face as it listened to the mountain's temper. _"You are acting more like a volcano than a mountain right now! Does she aggravate you that much?"_

The mountain's entire form radiated derision. _"More than anyone else..."_

The wind merely laughed, unbothered by the hostility. _"I will be sure to inform her of that when I cross paths with her! She sometimes visits this forest, you know... Perhaps it has something to do with a certain mountain spirit that keeps visiting me?"  
_

The mountain spirit blanched as much as he could. Without a mortal form, it was a fruitless effort, but his elemental form still emitted the same emotion. _"I came here to ESCAPE from her, not to be bothered!"_ he growled before glancing around with extreme caution, as if the snow spirit was about to jump at him.

 _"Well, if you still need a vacation spot, I can tell you of some warm summery lands that never see snow!"_ the wind whistled as it parted the snow-covered branches, revealing a hidden path to the traveler. _"But I do warn you; when you return, you might find a certain Master Emerald missing..."  
_

 _"I will not take your offer. I only require a short moment to myself (_ _'and to check up on you,'_ _the mountain privately thought). I will not abandon my duty, as it is my responsibility to keep the Master Emerald safe from any threats, including the annoying ones..."_ the mountain replied, delivering the last words with resigned exasperation.

The wind would have chortled at the mountain's tone were it not for the threat it spotted

 _"Hey! Stop! Do not go through that route!"_

The wind spirit's words did not reach the human, only coming off as a sharper whistle of the breeze. The mountain's warning rumble yielded the same result. And hiding among the trees, the large hungry wolf stalked closer. Usually, wolves and other non-mobian animals didn't attack humans or mobians, preferring to stick to the prey they knew, but in winter, with the scarcity of food, anything was about fair game at that point.

But before the mountain could use his powers to scare away the wolf, there was a faint shift in their surroundings. To the human, there was no change, but to the spirits and the wolf, it felt as if a new presence had intruded, all too tangible and real. But the spirits knew better, able to sense that despite the tangibility, there was also something extremely fragile about it, as if it could break if they just applied the slightest pressure...

A subtle illusion.

The wind whistled in relief as the wolf fell for the tangibility of the illusion, choosing instead to pounce on the more familiar and slightly closer prey. The wild hare immediately dashed away, leading the wolf on a long enough merry chase before revealing the evidence of it being an illusion when it passed right through a tree. The chase ended as the wolf halted with a surprised growl. Now further away from the traveler and occupied by the strangeness of the disappearing prey, the human passed by, oblivious to the threat.

 _"Brother!"_

 _"Kit!"_ the wind laughed, noticing the large fox ears twitching from behind a bush. _"So the illusion was your doing! Very nicely done!"_

A small vulpine face peeked out from the brush with ears twitching in happiness and slight embarrassment at the praise. _"Yes...but I still have not mastered the art of making solid illusions... There are still things I need to work on, more I have to learn..."_

 _"That does not mean you did an inadequate job,"_ the wind replied, its breeze gently ruffling the small creature's fur. _"If it were not for you, the wolf would have jumped on the traveler and cause injuries. Yes, you still have more to learn, but as I said, you did a good job."_

Those vulpine ears twitched in pleasure at the praise, and from behind him, two tails wagged furiously. Big blue eyes sparkled and the wind laughed at the expression on the kit's face.

The mountain waited for a few more seconds before choosing to interrupt. _"And who might this be?"_

The kit blinked, turning towards the mountain spirit, while the wind's form seemed to puff up in pride. _"This is my charge! I have found him during the late spring of this year. Such a small little thing, but he already had his two-hundredth tail. Quite a powerful and smart little one. He plays just as many mischievous pranks as I do on the bandits and thieves that travel through!"_

The kit smiled at the last part, the gesture half-shy and half-proud. _"It is a pleasure to meet you,"_ he greeted the mountain spirit with a small bow, before turning to the ever-moving wind. _"Hey, Brother, can I come with you? You might need more help!"_ he asked.

The mountain's form shifted in intrigue. _"He calls you Brother? I thought you have not chosen a gender yet. Nor did I think you would have taken in a charge..."_

 _"I have not chosen a gender, but it makes the kit comfortable to refer to me by one, and I do not entirely mind..."_ the wind hummed. _"And I do wish to take in a charge..."_ _'since making one of my own is impossible with my weak power.'_

The mountain seemed to sense the sadness underlying in the wind's elemental form, and tactfully changed the subject. _"Either way, I must be going now. And remember you two, the Chaos Festival will be held within three months' time, on the cusp of the spring equinox when the full moon is at its zenith."_

 _"Where is it this time?"_

 _"...Emerald Bay."_

The wind spirit hummed to itself while the kit's ears twitched. The mountain spirit inwardly sighed at their reactions. They were probably too young to remember the incident that brought about the name of the bay. Mortals named it after the emerald-green color of the waters, but all spirits of the olden times and those they chose to pass down knowledge to knew of that day.

The day when all seven Chaos Emeralds came together at a Chaos Festival...and the day of The Invasion. Ever since then, all the old spirits feared the area, thinking it to be cursed. And despite how long it had been...they still feared it.

 _'And now that the Chaos Festival is to be held there once more...I only hope the shaman knows what she is doing.'_

It was with that prayer in mind that the mountain spirit eventually left, headed back to his home where he would resume his duty of guarding the Master Emerald.

* * *

 _ **DR. GERALD'S JOURNAL OF THE SUPERNATURAL - A STUDY**_

 _ **ENTRY 1: SPIRITS, PART 1**_

 _ **DATE OF ENTRY: 24th June, XXXX**_

 _ **INTRODUCTION**_

 _'Spirit' is the term used to refer to these creatures based off elements found in nature. Said elements can be anything, from water and wind, from a single individual plant or a rock, to entire forests, oceans and mountains. Not every element in nature has a spirit though, as their creation depends on the amount of energy an element has (see CREATION & EVOLUTION)._

 _ **CREATION & EVOLUTION (DATE OF ENTRY: 2nd July, XXXX)**_

 _The cause of the creation of a spirit is due to the planet's Chaos Fields and the Chaos Energy that every living being generates and every non-living being has contact with (an example being Mount Crescent, a place that is directly within the influence of a rather powerful Chaos Field). This Chaos Energy, in combination with Life Energy (should the object in question be living) or with Gaia Energy (should the object be non-living), accumulated together and somehow mutated over the millions and millions of years our planet has existed._

 _Elements or objects of nature that have a required amount of these energies will allow a spirit to be born. This seems to be the only standard set as I have not yet discovered what other factors (if there are any) may be included, for I have seen several objects with contradicting factors having spirits._

 _Spirits, like humans, went through evolution (or mutation). From a mass of energy with no personality, let alone a conscious, they evolved, developing a conscious and a personality, into sentient beings capable of feats related to the object they were based off (Note: a catalogue is needed to determine just how many varieties of spirits exist)_

 _ **FORMS (DATE OF ENTRY: 29th July, XXXX)**_

 _In addition to having abilities related to their elements, spirits also have two forms: elemental, where they are the same mass of energy they once were (while retaining their conscious and personality), and a form they refer to as 'mortal', as it is based off either humans or mobians. However, from my study, I have observed that most spirits prefer mobian forms as they are closer to nature than us humans._

 _ **ELEMENTAL FORMS**_

 _Elemental forms are, as said above, masses of energy that have no solid form. In this state, they must use an amount of energy to be able to physically interact with the environment, which I find similar to how ghosts are portrayed as. Spirits often find this tiring, which is why they have developed a 'mortal' form. However, even in elemental forms, they are still in touch with their abilities and can use them instead (such as a plant spirit, in their elemental form, growing plants that can move at their will and physically interact)._

 _ **MORTAL FORMS**_

 _Mortal forms are, quote on quote, 'a mortal shell that merely gives them a visible form and mass so that more energy is not required to physically 'interact' with the surroundings'. A 'shell' is indeed an apt description. The mortal form is visible and tangible while containing the elemental form of the spirit, akin to someone wearing a suit. Of course, this also means that only the outside is similar to mortals (humans and mobians). Inside is said to be empty (though an operation will be needed to confirm this)._

 _ **GENDER & RELATIONS (DATE OF ENTRY: 1st August, XXXX)**_

 _When it comes to gender, I discovered that spirits are in fact genderless, as one of their forms have no reproductive organs and the other is a shell with no internal organs. However, due to their developed personalities, they find preference for a gender of their choice and have been known to develop romantic relationships (also other types of relations from friendship and family to rivalry and enemies)._

 _ **CHARGES (DATE OF ENTRY: 1st August, XXXX)**_

 _The term 'charge' is used for helpers of sorts. Spirits that are old or powerful enough are able to create them. (See later ENTRY for more information)._

 _ **LIFE EXPECTANCY (DATE OF ENTRY: 1st August, XXXX)**_

 _Spirits (and their objects) have been known to live much longer than a human or a mobian, but they can be killed should their object be destroyed (which also means that spirits of elements such as wind or objects such as an ocean cannot be killed). Spirits also have a different way of perceiving time (apparently, one century is almost akin to a year in terms of aging), so my source, a spirit of only a decade, is quite young._

 _ **END OF ENTRY**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Here's Chapter 2. I posted this so close to the first chapter because I apparently don't know the meaning of 'waiting patiently for the suspense to set in'. Still, if you have any questions, please feel free to ask them! Or you could just wait and see where this fanfiction will lead you~!**

 **And again, the disclaimer from Chapter 1 still counts (I seriously don't know whether it is a good thing to add disclaimer to each and every chapter, since most author notes get ignored either way...).**

 **Hope you enjoy this!**

* * *

Chapter 2

"Hey! He's here! Everyone, Chris is here!"

The traveler laughed as he waved back at the group of mobians running towards him, inwardly frowning sadly at the sight of the ragged clothes they were wearing and making a note to bring some warm clothes of his for them next time. Some of the faster mobians managed to reach him first and tackled him in a hug. "Chris! Chris! We missed you!" they cheered.

"Are you sure it is me you miss? Or is it these you miss?" Chris asked teasingly as he reached into his travel bag and brought out a large box. The young mobians cheered louder as they quickly grabbed the box and almost tore through its contents.

"You brought chocolate chip this time!" a young cat exclaimed in joy as she grabbed a handful of the faintly-warm cookies.

"There's also chocolate mint!" "Ah, let me have some too!" "Chris, thanks a lot!" "Yeah, these cookies are so good!"

Chris smiled at all the exclamations of delight and gratitude, content to be helping this little ragtag of mobians. While they were busy eating, he quietly counted the kids, taking note of who needed clothes the most and making sure all the kids were there. The last time someone went missing three months ago...

His eyebrows furrowed in worry when he noticed one kid was missing. He looked back at the group; he could have missed the mobian since everyone was running around. When that gave him the same results as before, he looked around, panic starting to form in the pit of his stomach when he couldn't find a glimpse of the reddish-brown fur anywhere in his surroundings.

 _'Maybe he didn't come? It has to be that, right?! He hadn't gone missing again...right?!'_

"Guys...where's Riley?" he asked, his voice almost reaching its childhood high pitch in panic.

One of the older kids paused at that. The Chinese Crested dog mobian quickly gobbled up his cookie before turning to Chris. "He went out just a little while ago. He said he had something to take care of," he told the human, before noticing the still-worried look on his face. "Don't worry, Chris. He does this frequently and he's always back in two hours or so."

"He does this frequently?!"

"But he's alright!" the dog mobian groaned, feeling slightly exasperated from the human's concern. "He disappears for two hours, give or take, and comes back as if he hadn't even disappeared in the first place. He isn't injured or anything either. So stop worrying about him, Chris. He's almost thirteen either way. He can take care of himself."

Chris sighed. "Either way, I'm worried... Mature or not, he's still a kid. Thirteen years is still pretty young for us humans," he explained. "So I can't help it, Cody." When the box of cookies was gone, Chris brought out another box, this time with some water bottles and some leftovers from lunch. "I'll go and get the message delivered. I'll come check up on the shack afterwards, alright?"

"Yeah, yeah, we know," Cody said with a resigned eye roll to Chris' mother-hen tendencies. The other mobians noticed Chris leaving and gathered around him with hugs. "We'll see you back at the shack, Chris!" a younger mobian shouted as Chris headed off for the village leader.

* * *

"Mr. Stone? May I come in?"

The man looked up from his desk where he had been going through some reports. The angry frown on his face faded slightly when he noticed the nervous messenger peeking inside the room. "Ah, Chris, of course. Another message from the king, I assume?"

"...Sort of," Chris replied, stepping inside the room and reaching into his bag to bring out an envelope. Mr. Stone's gaze narrowed thoughtfully before he noticed the reason behind Chris' vague answer.

Stamped on the creamy-white envelope were two symbols. Both were familiar (after all, one would have to be a fool or living under a rock not to know the crest of royalty), but one of them was so unexpected that if it were not for Mr. Stone's glasses, his surprise would have been clear to see by all. "What does that madman want to say that the king himself actually allowed it?" he asked, trying to keep his tone and level while all but literally pointing at the symbol in accusation.

Chris picked up on the undertones and waved his hands while shaking his head. "I have no idea...but the king seems really...pensive when he gave me this message. He also told me to deliver the same message to the other towns and villages, including the mobian settlements. Whatever it is..."

The pause (and the unsaid words that pause implied) did not go unnoticed though. It was obvious; this was something big. Mr. Stone couldn't think of returning to his reports with this kind of message lying right in front of him.

Without even thinking of dismissing Chris, he reached for a letter opener. The letter inside was thick, though Mr. Stone suspected it was more because of the parchment itself rather than its contents.

Carefully pulling it out, he flipped the half-folded letter open and started soundlessly reading through the letter.

'Dear Mr. Stone,

This is a letter from both your king and the esteemed ( **Mr. Stone snorted at that description; that madman was anything but an esteemed individual** ) Doctor Eggman. The good doctor would like to invite you and everyone living in your village to an event taking place at Emerald Bay. We have high hopes that you will be able to attend. Escorts and transportation will be provided, so have no worries ( ** _'No worries? High hopes? Escorts and transport? You are all but telling us outright to come without protest,'_** **Mr. Stone thought, gritting his teeth and clenching the letter in his hands just a tad tighter** ). The details are listed below. We hope to see you at the event.

Venue: The Royal Villa, Emerald Bay  
*Note: Accommodations will be provided and there is no need to bring anything.  
Date: March 19, XXXX  
*The event will be held on March 20 at night, but please arrive a day early.

With regards,  
King Michael Renacido, Doctor Eggman'

* * *

 **"It appears that everything is in order..."**

Gold eyes took in the mystical glow of the object before him before scanning the small mist-laden cave. Just like the mist-bound mountain it resided in, the cave was silent, as if devoid of life...

Well, in one way, it was true.

 **"Has there been any spirits attempting to reside here?"**

There was a clattering sound, as if bones knocking together. But the sound wasn't as random as that (if he _just tilted his head_ slightly and listened _carefully with his left ear_ , he could faintly hear a pattern...), and it seemed that he understood it.

 **"No? Good. What about newly-born spirits?"**

The same sound came in reply.

 **"Excellent. Keep an eye out for mortals as well; we cannot let them discover this..."** Those gold eyes turned back to the object. **"Even should it not respond to others as long as I live, we cannot take any risk... It should just fade into the legends..."**

There were more clattering sounds, followed by the clack of numerous claws hitting the stone-covered ground, the sounds too much of a cacophony to have a recognizable rhythm. Spots of red lights (in pairs, _watching as if they were eyes_ ) peered out from the dark of the cave. Despite no verbal words being shared between the spots and him, he still sighed in defeat, having already came to the conclusion without being needed to be told.

 **"Right...with the nature of this relic, that is an impossible wish... At least, I can make it so that only the guardian knows of its existence...just as I have been doing it for the past three centuries, ever since your first master died."**

He slumped onto the ground, putting a hand to his forehead and sighing deeply. An ordinary person wouldn't remember the events that took place long ago, but he had long lost his mortality. He was _anything but ordinary_ , and sometimes, on days like _this_ (close to the equinox, he had a feeling _it_ will take place then...), he fell back into the past, remembering every event...every bit of it all.

 **"How long must we suffer, guarding this relic without rest? You all are meant to be resting in the earth, yet here you are, kept alive by the duty you did not desire in the first place, just as I am here, suffering the same fate as you to never rest in peace...being forced to depend on others and taking away their lives..."**

The red spots seemed to glow in sympathy. He smiled at that, both to reassure them and himself.

 **"It is alright...maybe one day, we can find a way to free ourselves from this cycling curse."**

His eyes drifted back to the object. He held no hate for the object. He already had his temper tantrum during the first century, and now, hate just seemed to be a heavy burden he did not want to add to the already-heavy weight of being this object's guardian. Taking one last scan of his surroundings, he was almost done with his job.

Almost, because he had one more thing left to take care of.

His hand took the object, receiving a brighter glow in response to his touch. The best hiding place was in plain sight, and with that in mind, he closed his eyes and let the thought take a form. He didn't have a solid idea though; he just let the thought shape itself.

When he opened his eyes, the object was gone.

Satisfied with the results, he left the cave. Behind him, large reptilian skeletons (the bones a dried out white, outlined by a red glow, their skulls filled with a red light that shone through their eyeholes) chattered and rattled, gathering over the opening and piling up on top of each other. Then, they lost their red glow and white darkened to the grey of the mountain's stone, sealing the cave.

And just like that, the gold-eyed being was gone as well, disappearing into the mist.

* * *

"Riley! There you are!"

The Red Dog mobian yelped in surprise as he was tackled by a smaller American Shorthair cat mobian. He nearly fell back from the force, but steadied himself by regaining his footing and took a moment to breathe before turning his attention to the cat clinging to his waist. As if sensing the attention, the feline looked up with a pout, wide kitten-blue eyes staring into his brown. "Why do you always have to disappear somewhere?"

Riley shrugged. "Just felt like it, I guess," was his vague reply. Truthfully, he had no idea where the urge came from either, but since it never really caused him any harm, he just let it be, like it was another fact of the universe.

"Riley, you're back."

The red dog looked up at the familiar voice and spotted Cody walking out of the rickety shack he and a group of around twelve mobians called home. Riley gave him a nod to acknowledge his greeting while returning the cat's hug with a pat; both as an affectionate gesture and a sign for the mobian to let go. "Faline, time to let me go," Riley added when the pat received no response.

"Are you going to disappear again?"

"I'll always come back Faline," Riley sighed, though he didn't exactly say he was going to stop disappearing. Faline didn't notice it though. Satisfied by the answer, she let go.

"Come on! It's almost dinner time! Chris came by a few minutes ago to check up on the shack; he just missed you! He's worried about you as well, but Cody told him that you'll be fine! Of course, I agree with Chris, but it's good that you're alright. Oh, and Chris got us some leftovers for today as well! Think we can heat them up and eat them like last time?" Faline babbled as she headed inside the shack, followed by the two older mobians.

Cody rolled his eyes and argued back with Faline on how it wasn't entirely healthy to keep eating leftovers the way they were doing while Riley trailed a bit further back, watching the two's argument with fond eyes.

Just another day that was in their lives...oblivious to the fact that things were about to change...

* * *

 _"Shaman."_

The orange-furred echidna did not react to the call, eyes glazed over as they stared deeply into the glowing green emerald. Her face was pale under her fur, sweat gathering at her brow and her hands faintly trembling. The mountain spirit grunted and resorted to using a bit of his power so that he could physically pull the echidna away from the gem.

 _"Shaman,"_ he repeated. This time, without the emerald, she started slowly coming back to the conscious world. Blue eyes blinked, lingering violet flecks slowly disappearing with the glaze in her eyes. They took in the mountain spirit, able to see his elemental form's Chaos Energy.

"...Mountain?"

 _"Take it easy. You have been deep-gazing the Master Emerald for three hours straight already..."_

"Mountain... I know where the seven Chaos Emeralds are." The mountain spirit stood still at that, though the shaman couldn't see it in his elemental form. "The Master Emerald told me...to bring them to the Chaos Festival. The Chaos Gods...they will gather at this Festival, more than ever."

 _"What are they up to now?"_ the mountain growled. _"They have not been as active as before. And suddenly, here they are again...and what is much more concerning is the fact that they have not even caused a single bit of trouble! Why are they gathering?"_

"That I do not know..." the shaman sighed, slumping against the chamber's wall. "The Master Emerald merely tells me the what. It does not tell me the why... Mountain, the Chaos Emeralds... While they do not have a wielder, they are surprisingly gathered at the same place."

The mountain dare not ask how the situation could get any worse. A Chaos Emerald, alone by itself, had the penchant to be found. To have all seven of them in one place... It was a situation that would spell trouble should any Chaos adept mortal or a particularly mischievous Chaos God stumbled upon them. _"Where are they?"_ he asked, pushing the questions about Chaos Gods away for the moment to tackle the more serious case.

"Green Hill."

* * *

 _ **DR. GERALD'S JOURNAL OF THE SUPERNATURAL - A STUDY  
ENTRY 2: GODS, PART 1  
DATE OF ENTRY: 12th September, XXXX**_

 _ **INTRODUCTION**_ _ **  
**_ _Gods are, in scientific terms, spirits that are much more ancient and powerful, having been born with the planet itself and, as they are based off energies, immortal. So far, I have only heard of the most commonly known Gods, Chaos and beings referred to as Chaos Gods (See ENTRY 3: CHAOS GODS)._

 _ **CHAOS (DATE OF ENTRY: 18th September, XXXX)**_ _ **  
**_ _Chaos is the God of Chaos Energy, an energy that is akin to a network connecting our planet together (See later ENTRY for more information). Among the myths the spirits spoke of, and are willing to share with me, Chaos was born from the Chaos Energy used to create an object of immense power (though they are very reluctant to share with me what this object is), and is designated as the object's Guardian. Other myths spoke of Chaos' affinity for water (See later ENTRY on AFFINITIES) and his charges (creatures called Chao), but so far, I have not yet discovered what Chaos' appearance and abilities are. Even the spirits seem to be in the dark. However, there have been whispers of an event that is related to Chaos. Further research (and prodding of rather unwilling spirits) is required._

 _ **END OF ENTRY**_


	3. Interlude 1

**OK, this is just a test run. I have planned on inserting interludes for the scenes happening in the past or the background, but I don't know where I should put them. I thought of putting them at the end, just like I do for the journal entries, but I also want to try out putting them in a separate chapter, makes it more easily seen. So here it is!**

 **INTERLUDE 1: This is something that happened WWWWAAAAYYYYYYYY before the first arc even started. Sort of like a side story, but it will definitely affect the second arc of this series. I don't want to do this in flashbacks (because that will be A LOT of flashbacks), so it is an interlude here! Hope you enjoy this, because it pertains to our favorite emo hedgehog~!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own any Sonic cast characters.**

* * *

Interlude 1

"Your Majesty?"

The king looked up from his work. The butler politely remaining outside of the room bowed and continued, "Lord Kintobor wishes to see you. He has a request concerning the ownership of some land he wishes to make use of."

"Very well. Send him in."

The butler bowed deeper and backed away from the room while closing the door. The king then turned back to his papers before sighing and taking a look at the two stacks he still needed to go through before the paperwork he piled up was done. He wished he could continue on working, but there was not much of a choice. Lord Kintobor was a noble with much power and prestige. It would be rude to ignore him.

Resigned, he carefully placed his papers out of the way and set his quill back into its inkwell. Slightly clearing his desk, he was just about done when there was a knock on the door. "Come in."

The carved wooden door swung open and Lord Kintobor strode in, tall and confident despite his aging. "Greetings," was the only acknowledgement the king received before the lord seated himself on a velvet-red sofa lined with gold. "Now, I would like to get straight to business, if you don't mind."

The king sighed. "Formalities are still not your strong suit I see. But as I also have paperwork to get back to, I agree. So, I assume this request has something to do with relinquishing you ownership of a land you wish to use?"

"True." Unnoticed by the king, Kintobor's eyes gleamed behind the dark glass he used for his spectacles. "But before I go into this, I have some questions of my own. The land concerning the request is the area known as Mystic Forest."

Hearing the location's name, the king straightened up. Kintobor took note of the sudden movement, but did not comment and continued, "The forest is under the ownership of the 5th King of Station Square, and ever since then, it has been passed down from one king to the next, almost like a heirloom. Now, I would understand if the land had been of some value, sentimental or otherwise, or if it were developed land, but that does not seem to be the case..."

"Mystic Forest and the land within a five-mile radius around it is to be untouched, under penalty of death. That is one of the laws the 5th King passed on during his reign. And despite how...unusual this law is, it continues to be upheld by not only the reigning kings, but also by the Council. Quite extreme lengths to go for a...no, the ONLY forest that is currently within our kingdom. So, I am quite curious..."

Kintobor's gaze caught the king's, a rather remarkable feat concerning the fact that the former's eyes were hidden. "What is the royalty and the Council determined to protect that is in Mystic Forest?"

The king barely stopped himself from displaying all of his emotions on his face. Panic, worry, fear; these emotions passed by in his eyes before he managed to regain his composure, blanking his eyes and further doing so with his already-blank expression. For a brief moment, he oscillated between two choices.

 _To tell the truth..._

 _Or not to tell?_

"Your Majesty?"

"...Mystic Forest is, as you said, the only forest we have. It is only natural that the 5th King, a lover of nature as he is remembered as, would want to preserve it. Yes, I do feel that the laws are quite extreme, but it is for the best. There are several people out there that wishes to clear the forest for more land," the king replied, his voice nearly dropping to a monotone. "And the Council agrees to this day because they intend for Mystic Forest to spread out, again, another reason behind the five-mile radius... I'm sorry, Lord Kintobor, but if you wish to clear the forest to use the land, I'm afraid I cannot allow it."

Kintobor gritted his teeth, trying not to lose his own composure. "But I do need the forest for my research in medicine. My granddaughter-!"

"I understand that your granddaughter is very ill and in need of medicine...and I assume that the only reason you are asking for this is because none of the medicine we have is working, is that correct?" Kintobor's slight nod was a prompt to continue. "While I sympathize with you, I cannot give you ownership of the land, nor allow you to enter it. Mystic Forest is to remain untouched... I am sorry."

The king then busied himself, bringing his paperwork back and going through them. The sound of the door shutting, albeit with a sound close to an outraged slam, allowed relief to settle in his shoulders. It was cowardly of himself to do this, but he rather Mystic Forest to fade away from the public, to never be heard of or acknowledged. That place...the 5th King's words had been passed down ever so carefully, and they were a warning.

"Step not into the Mystic Forest, a maze in disguise. Harm not its trees and plants, if you want to live. Never look back, or you will find the spirits watching you."

 _'I only hope Lord Kintobor will not do something rash.'_

* * *

"Welcome home, Grandfather!"

The familiar voice and greeting caught his attention as Lord Kintobor handed his coat over to the butler. With a smile so wide that it showed through his bushy greying mustache, he turned just in time to catch the young girl in a hug. Bright blue eyes looked up at him from a shining (yet pale, oh so pale) face. "How was your visit?" his granddaughter asked as she backed away.

"I'm glad to be back, Maria, and the visit..." Kintobor trailed off in a sigh at the reminder. He did not want to worry Maria, but knowing the intelligent girl, it would not be wise to lie to her. "The visit did not end quite well. I was unable to purchase the land."

"Why?"

Kintobor inwardly sighed fondly at the question, remembering the times when that would be the only question a very young Maria asked about the world. "I'll tell you about it later, after lunch. So, on a lighter note, what has our industrious chef planned for today's meal?"

* * *

After lunch was finished, the two retreated to the drawing room. Straight to business as always, they sat down on the couch. "I have something to tell you Maria," Kintobor began. "I...I will be going on a trip soon. I do not know how long it will take though. It could be weeks...or even months!"

"Grandfather...you do not have to worry about me," Maria said with a smile, understanding where her grandfather's worries were coming from. "It is an important trip, is it not?"

"...It is quite important," Kintobor agreed. "You see, the king could not give the ownership of the land to me, so I must go there to get some samples on my own. Too many people would attract attention, and I cannot fund a research trip to there either. And as Mystic Forest is not explored, I fear that I would get lost, or encounter dangers that I do not know..."

Maria's blue eyes widened at that. She understood what her grandfather was implying. This was a long trip, one that he might not be able to return from.

"Is there no other way?" Maria asked, a sad and thoughtful frown on her face. "Can we not ask the king for help? Or even take another person with you?"

"You know we cannot do that. I have already asked the king for help, but he denied to involve himself with the forest entirely beyond keeping anyone else out of it. And where will I find a trustworthy escort? I cannot take any of the butlers and maids with me; I need them here to take care of you," Kintobor replied with a tired sigh.

"...What about the Guardians?"

Kintobor looked up sharply at the question. "Maria, we will NOT associate ourselves with that organization ever again, you know that quite well!"

"Yes, but surely-"

"No Maria," Kintobor interrupted, holding Maria's hands in his own to stop her from continuing. "The Guardians, despite what they say, are just a group of warmongers hoping to gain more power for their sake. Their ideals do not align with ours. And they will not hesitate to use underhanded methods to get what they want..."

Darkness clouded the elder's eyes as his grasp slackened. "They will not hesitate..." he repeated in a daze, a frown pulling at his face. "I cannot allow them to bring harm to the Kintobor family again."

Maria remained silent, feeling embarrassment and shame for even mentioning the Guardians. The Kintobor family had once been asked for help by the organization. At first, their ideas were quite interesting, almost revolutionary... Of course, it was not until they were in deep that the Guardians revealed their true colors. And when the Kintobor family tried to back out of the contract...

"They took my daughter away from me Maria," Kintobor's words snapped Maria out of her thoughts. "They took your mother away from us, and they tried to take you as well..."

"What...what happened?" Maria tentatively asked. "You never told me what happened that day..."

"There is nothing more to say Maria. They took away your mother...in a way that we can never have her back again." Kintobor closed his eyes, shoulders slumping in a way that was uncharacteristic of the proud lord he was. Now, he looked more like a tired old man than ever. "But...that is in the past." He straightened up once more and turned to Maria. "Back to the point, I will be leaving for Mystic Forest as soon as possible."

"Please send letters as often as possible, grandfather."

"I will Maria."

* * *

 **...I feel like this was a bit awkward. I wonder if I should have just put these in flashbacks... Feel free to suggest!**

 **Alright, here's the thing. The Guardians are the GUN, but they are not the entire organization. Remember Sonic X, and how they said there was actually a secret group that was behind all the projects and everything related to the ARK? Well, the Guardians Gerald encountered was that secret group (so don't think that ALL of GUN is bad).**

 **I would like to say more about Gerald's past and how his daughter got caught up in everything, but you'll find out in the future interludes~**

 **Also, THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO ALL THOSE WHO FAVORITED/FOLLOWED THIS STORY! I was surprised when I saw I already got several followers of the story. And a review too! It really encourages me to see that you readers enjoy this story, despite its extreme vagueness (again, attempt at mystery~). CheeseCloud, thank you for your kind review and your welcome! And this AU is going to just keep on growing! I got plenty of world-building behind my back!**


	4. Chapter 3

**Righty-o! Here we have Chapter 3! Brief summary: the mountain spirit (a.k.a Knuckles) has journeyed to Green Hill after Tikal told him the seven Chaos Emeralds were there. And here he found a HUGE discovery! I'll let you read on and find out!**

 **Disclaimer: Don't own Sonic cast or SEGA property, only my story and ideas!**

* * *

Chapter 3

Green Hill... How long had it been since he last saw this place?

The mountain spirit walked down the green-covered path, unable to resist glancing at the gorgeous view.

Green Hill was probably one of the last places on this planet that remained completely untouched by mortals and spirits (the mountain spirit noted the lack of nature spirits residing on the island). Located on an island, right out in the middle of the warmer ocean and protected by the Chaos Gods, it was no surprise. Even among spirits, there were not many who knew of this untouched paradise.

 _'There are many more Chaos Gods roaming here...'_ the mountain thought to himself as he stared past the sprawling green hills and tall palms. He could see flashes of colors streaking past, leaving behind a trail of Chaos Energy (though it was in a softer shade of gold, unlike the vivid color he was more familiar with).

Sometimes, there would be a group of Chaos Gods that weren't hurrying by and the mountain spirit could take in their forms. Unlike spirits, Chaos Gods only had one form, one that looked like a small squid with three tentacles. Each had a different number of eyes and slight differences such as their skin color and shape.

 _"With this many Chaos Gods, no wonder there are no spirits here... They would not be able to handle facing this much Chaos Energy. But for a place full of Chaos Gods, this place sure is peaceful..."_ he rumbled out-loud to himself. _"However...then again, this place is already chaotic itself in its own way,"_ he corrected himself as he spotted one of the many strange land formations.

It looked like a large rectangular block of earth (which was also strange; it was colored in a _checkerboard pattern in two shades of brown. Even the grass was striped, how did that happen?_ ) with a hole carved in the very middle ( _the mountain spirit had long been used to the uniqueness of the world and no longer questioned what kind of weathering and erosion was required to create this formation_ ), each end connecting to the path it was set in.

Shaking his head, he kept on journeying, heading towards the lake situated at the very center of the island. He trudged past the steep hills, crossing log bridges that were set across beautiful waterfalls and soon, coming to the edge of the lake.

The mountain spirit briefly let his senses go, allowing him to 'see' the entire land before him glowing so brightly that he would be blinded if he were using his real eyes. Still, he could only 'watch' for so long before he had to regain his senses; the glow of Chaos Energy saturating the place too bright and vivid, especially in the lake.

 _' That must be the Chaos Emeralds,' _he had deduced when he had arrived at the island, which was the reason why he came to this lake. Without a care, he stepped in. In his elemental form, he was unaffected by the water, nor did he need to breathe.

The lake itself was just as abundant of nature as Green Hill. Several underwater plants grew in large groups and there were small flashes of colors glimmering off the scales of the fishes swimming by. However, they were not the only source of color; the mountain spirit was slightly surprised to see a group of Chaos Gods swimming by.

 _'Wait...there are more,'_ he realized, seeing so many groups (more than he could count) all heading in the same direction. _'No...they better not be heading for the Chaos Emeralds! I will not allow them to cause trouble!'_

He hurried across the bottom of the lake. The sunlight from above was starting to dim as he reached the deepest part of the lake, but the light from the Chaos Gods was enough to light the way. With how many Chaos Gods were gathering at that moment, the mountain expected himself to see a Chaos Emerald at any moment.

However, what he received was the opposite.

Rather than gathering around a Chaos Emerald (not that there were any he could see. _'So why was the lake glowing? Was it because of the Chaos Gods? No...the light was too golden for theirs... What other source of Chaos Energy is here?'_ ), the swarm of colorful gods were heading towards a large underwater cave.

Unable to deny his own curiosity, the mountain followed.

The cave turned out to have just one chamber, with a single opening that was covered by a roaring waterfall and a rather sizeable air pocket. _'This must be under one of those larger hills,'_ the mountain thought as he climbed upwards from the bottom, hugging the sides of the cave.

When he reached the surface, he found his surroundings lit up by more Chaos Gods than he had ever seen. They flew all around the cave, as numerous as the bat colonies he had seen in some of the deeper caves in his mountain. Some were busying about on the cave walls and the mountain jolted when one Chaos God popped up right in front of him.

The little god was squeaking in an incomprehensible way, waving its tentacles wildly while gesturing towards the wall he was clinging onto. It took a few seconds before the mountain realized that the god was telling him to move away from the spot.

 _"Oh, sorry!"_ he apologized as a habit, slightly stunned by the sight before him to react properly. He pulled himself further away from the spot and the god chirped happily, giving him a nod before turning its attention to the wall. The mountain spirit couldn't help but lean a bit forward to see what the god was doing.

 _"Is it...carving?!"_

Indeed, the Chaos God had lifted a tentacle. From its tip, a tiny beam of Chaos Energy was being shot out, powerful enough to carve into the stone wall. The tiny god hummed as it moved its tentacle, carving the strangest letters the mountain spirit had ever seen. Despite their strange form, he could see a slight pattern in them. Looking around at the other gods, the mountain soon noticed that almost half of the Chaos Gods inside the cave were doing the same.

The mountain couldn't help his awe. All he knew of Chaos Gods was that they exist, contained Chaos Energy and sometimes had the tendency to create some sort of chaos. He had heard of Chaos Gods gathering around sources of Chaos Energy, even a rumor of some incidents occurring because a particularly troublesome god stumbling on a Chaos Emerald and using the energy to wreak havoc. For a god, most spirits thought of these Chaos Gods to be more like charges or sprites with only the barest amount of intelligence.

But here was proof that they were more than sprites. To have their own written language...that spoke of intelligence.

Curious to see what the other gods were writing, the mountain carefully started moving. The steep and slippery cave walls were not what he was concerned about (he was a spirit of a mountain, of the earth, so such things were negligible in his elemental form). Rather, it was the numerous carvings on the walls; he did not want to damage the Chaos Gods' work. Moving around was a challenge because of that; the walls were littered with numerous carvings!

 _"It's not just letters though... There are pictures too."_

Several of the pictures seemed to depict Green Hill (he recognized one of those strange land formations, the loops) and the lake (there was a ring carved above the lake, and the mountain wondered what that ring represented). There were carvings of other spots (Mystic Forest, Emerald Bay...why are these places here as well?) and, with a jolt of surprise, he recognized some of the carvings to be of the Gods.

The mountain stared at one particular carving. He may not have seen the God in person, but he could recognize the God of the Sun, Solaris, all too easily for its unique shape akin to a stylized sun. And that shark-like form hovering over an all-too familiar shape...there was no doubt that it was Chaos himself.

 _'Wait...who's that?'_

The carving of Chaos was accompanied by the seven Chaos Emeralds. However, rather than surrounding the Master Emerald as they are prone to in most carvings, the Emeralds were instead circling around another.

It looked like a mobian...though he couldn't tell what species exactly because the features were too generalist to be a good identifier. Though it did look like a bird...or a mammal (but definitely not a reptile).

 _'Is that...is that a Chaos adept?'_ the mountain wondered. It wasn't unusual for Chaos adepts to sometimes be lucky (or brave or motivated or stupid or whatever reason there was) enough to obtain all seven Emeralds at once. When that happens, for a brief, extremely fleeting moment, they obtained ultimate power before quickly losing that power and coming back down to earth (literally in some cases).

Shaking his head, he moved onto another spot. As he climbed higher and higher, taking the time to look at all the carvings, he soon reached the ceiling.

Looking upwards, the sight would have taken his breath away were he in mortal form. Despite the not-so-detailed artwork, there was meaning in each line. Carved into the stone was the image of the planet. Hovering in the position of the sun was the God Solaris, with two other much smaller forms floating by its side. On each side of the planet were two other Gods (they were positioned in a Yin-and-Yang position, but the mountain didn't recognize the two Gods), and in a ring around the planet, inside the circle the two Gods made, were the seven Chaos Emeralds.

The Master Emerald took its place right in front of the planet. And just like the previous carving from before, Chaos was there...but...

 _'It's...it's that mobian again.'_ Carved on the left side of the Master Emerald, facing Chaos, was the same mobian he saw before. _'But why are they here, on this carving and with Chaos of all Gods? I have never heard of a Chaos adept that has gotten as close to Chaos himself or even befriended the Chaos Gods enough for them to show up in their carvings...'_

 _'Just who is this person? And what makes them so significant to the Gods?'  
_

At that thought, the mountain couldn't help be remember the last time he asked that question to himself.

-Flashback-

 _"Mountain."_

It was just a word. It didn't even have a personal meaning to him. But it still touched him deeply, the earthly voice echoing in his mind that came from Chaos himself as he reverently knelt before the Master Emerald and its deity.

 _"Until_ he _returns, you will guard the seven Chaos Emeralds and provide myself and the Master Emerald a location to hide ourselves. I am bound to the Master Emerald; the only thing I can protect is it. The seven are beyond my reach. But without_ him _...without_ him _, you are needed to guard these Emeralds. Make sure they stay safe, but do not keep them caged. Let them be. Only interfere should the balance of Chaos be threatened. Do you understand?"_

Truthfully, the mountain didn't understand. He had so many questions. Why him? Why was he chosen for this task? He wasn't being ungrateful, rather, he thought there to be others of a better choice, more experienced than him. He was just a young mountain, only a decade old! So...why him?

 _'What makes me so significant to the Gods?'_

And who was this _he_ Chaos referred to? Was _he_ the previous guardian? What happened to _him_?

 _'But I am in no position to question a God.'  
_

 _"I do."_

 _"Very well then, young Mountain. Accept this duty, as guardian of the seven Chaos and watcher over the Master Emerald."_

-End of Flashback-

 _"Could this mobian be the guardian Chaos was referring to back then?"_ the mountain asked out-loud. The question was meant for no one, but the Chaos Gods still heard and responded. They started dancing around in excitement, flashing their colors and squeaking happily. The mountain watched as the twirling tiny gods gathered around the ceiling, their squeaking and chatter gaining a rhythm as they sang and sang.

Oh, if only the mountain could understand their words...

His wish was cut short when, from somewhere else that felt so near, an answering song came back. The Chaos Gods got even more frenzied and a group of them moved over to the mountain. The spirit yelped in shock when he found himself suddenly levitating, losing his connection to the earth and finding himself quickly morphing into his mortal form to compensate for the loss.

 _"Where are you taking me?"_ he demanded as the group started flying towards the waterfall. They easily slipped past the forceful falls of the water and took the mountain spirit higher up the tall rocky hill, flying until they reached a spot which was, if the mountain cared to find out, directly above the ceiling carving inside the cave.

The peak was surprisingly flat and the Chaos Gods deposited him there. Before the mountain could demand more answers, they had flown closer to the ground, using their tentacles to bat away the soil and revealing seven familiar gleams.

 _"The Chaos Emeralds!"_ the mountain exclaimed in shock before taking advantage of his mortal form's spiked knuckles to dig at the spots, unearthing each powerful gem. After he retrieved all seven, he remembered the Chaos Gods and stared them down. _"Why are you doing this?"_

 **'We want him back...'**

The voice came out rather unexpectedly and the mountain looked around wildly. _"Who is this?"_ he all-but-shouted.

 **'We want him back young Guardian... Our deity...we want him back. It has been so many centuries...ever since The Black came. We have been waiting, waiting for this day to come for so, so long...'**

 _"Your deity?! Is he the one in your carvings? The one the great God Chaos told me of? And what is The Black?"_

 **'Go young Guardian. The Seven are needed for his return. My children will watch over the Festival, and when it is done, they will rejoice! With the Chaos Fields of the planet stabilized once more, he will be able to return!'**

* * *

 _ **DR. GERALD'S JOURNAL OF THE SUPERNATURAL - A STUDY  
ENTRY 3: CHAOS GODS  
DATE OF ENTRY: 19th January, XXXX  
**_

 _ **INTRODUCTION**_  
 _Chaos God is a term used to refer to a rather unusual spirit. At first glance, I initially thought it to be a charge of another spirit, but this small creature is truthfully referred to (and sometimes revered) as gods by the spirits (though I believe the term 'god' is used rather loosely to refer to this particular spirit)._

 _ **DESCRIPTION (DATE OF ENTRY: 16th February, XXXX)**_  
 _These little creatures are only half a meter long and squid-like in appearance, though a more appropriate description would be a head with three tentacles coming out of it. There seems to be a limited variation among these gods; subspecies, so to speak. Each subspecies differ from another in terms of number of eyes, skin color, shape, additional features and possibly abilities. When they move quickly, I have been told that they appear as flashes of color with gold trails of Chaos Energy left behind._

 _ **BEHAVIOR (DATE OF ENTRY: 27th February, XXXX)**_  
 _Chaos Gods are aptly named for their frequent bouts of chaos and mischief. I have been told that most events that seem almost supernatural or events that involve an unusual amount of drama (the exact wording is less...professional, so to speak) are caused by these gods. But that is the only interaction they have with the world; Chaos Gods generally leave spirits be, and the times a spirit is able to interact with them, they were unable to due to the Chaos Gods' language sounding absolutely incomprehensible to them. I do wish I could speak with one; I might be able to decode the language should I have enough information..._

 _ **DATE OF ENTRY: 15th June, XXXX**_  
 _Three months have passed with no new information on the Chaos Gods, so I have to come to a close on this research temporarily until new information can be found. For now, I will conclude that Chaos Gods are spirits of their namesake, in both form, abilities and behavior._

 _ **END OF ENTRY**_


	5. Chapter 4

**DANG IT! I almost forgot about the author's note! Sorry for that!**

 **Anyway, again, thanks to all those who are supporting this story in their own way! It is always uplifting! Now, here is the fourth chapter, where things will start forming connections in your mind! To those who are really wondering about what all the mystery is about, here are some of your answers!**

 **Disclaimer: Don't own Sonic characters. Only OCs and some ideas.**

 **Now, please enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 4

"What's going on?"

That appeared to be the question of the day as the quartet of mobians huddled together, pressing as close as possible to each other. It was an action to both warm themselves from the late winter's chill and keep themselves as small as possible to avoid being harassed by the human villagers. Riley, being the de facto leader, was right at the very front with the rest pressed up behind him.

"Riley..." Cody murmured, tucking himself further into the hooded coat (winter had always been the worst season for him due to his extremely thin fur). "This is serious. It's code red. We better check it out..."

Riley nodded in understanding. But before he could step forward, Faline reached out and grasped his coat. "Don't you think we should wait...?" she whispered, ears twitching as she kept her unblinking stare on the closer humans. "We can come back later..."

Riley eyed the crowd before shaking his head. "It'll take forever with how many people there are. You guys head back to the shack. I'll check out the weather report and that important message myself. We can have that walk later, alright?" he replied, directing the last question to the wolf pup cuddling his leg.

The wolf pup blinked, taking one last long look at the crowd of humans before nodding. Riley waited and watched as Cody took charge, holding Faline and the wolf pup's hands and leading them back to their shack. Then, when they were out of sight, Riley turned back to the town square.

The Red Dog mobian appeared quite confident to the rest despite his slumped posture as he walked ( _without pause, without stuttering, moving past the human villagers as if he was one of them, that there was nothing to see and nothing to make a fuss over_ ) closer towards the town square's bulletin boards. He slipped through the crowd, dodging elbows and feet (some set out to purposely trip him and others just being in the way) while edging past the larger bodies.

It took a while, but he soon managed to get close enough to the board to see the message. _'They should really make a smaller one for mobians...'_ he thought as he craned his neck as high as possible to take a look at the color-coded paper.

'To all villagers,

By the order of King Michael Renacido, we are to head to Emerald Bay for an event. The event itself will take place on the night of March 20, but we are to arrive at Emerald Bay on the nineteenth. Escorts and transports will arrive on the seventeenth of March at the seventh hour of the day, and we will leave as soon as everyone has boarded the transports. While there is no need to bring anything, it is alright if you wish to bring some of your possessions along.

This post will be updated in the future as more news arrive from our king.

Mr. Stone.'

A deep frown pulled at Riley's face. Their village leader stated that everyone was to attend, but...what of the mobians? Could they come to? Just what kind of event was it in the first place? And by the king? What did the king even want with the villagers?

All those questions whirled inside Riley's head as he carefully moved away from the crowd, dodging humans and steering clear of those that had more than unfriendly looks on their faces. He moved to the less-crowded boards and took a quick glance at the weather reports (sighing in relief at the notice that said spring was coming soon and there would be no heavy snowfalls for the day) before making a beeline for the shack.

There was much to discuss with the others...

* * *

Meanwhile, at the village leader's office...

Mr. Stone's frown looked as if it was carved deeply into his face as he stared at the letter set out before him. He had read through the words over and over, making sure he had not left any details out, but even after the fifth time he checked through, he still wasn't satisfied.

 _'Why is the king doing this? And the madman as well... Just what kind of event is it in the first place, and why wasn't it mentioned in the letter?'_ There were so many questions whirling through Mr. Stone's head. Just like any other person out there, he was suspicious of the event.

The king (and the madman) suddenly just up and told him (and possibly every other village as well, going by Chris' words) to come to Emerald Bay ( _'and without protest at that...even if it was just implied'_ ) within two months, without even telling them just what kind of event it was or the reason behind the summoning. It was all too suspicious, and that was still an understatement, considering the fact that the doctor had a hand in it as well.

His jaw clenched tighter as he reached into his drawer for another piece of parchment and a quill loaded with ink. It was time to find out the answer from the source itself...or as close to the source as he could.

'Dear Topaz,

I'm sure you have already heard the news, seeing as you are one of the palace's guards. I wish I have the time (and the mood) for pleasantries, but this is serious. What is going on? Why the event at Emerald Bay? Why are we needed at the event? And what in the world possessed the king to actually cooperate with that madman? And why are the mobians included as well?

With regards,  
Mr. Stone'

 _'Now I only hope I can get the answers I want...'_

* * *

 _'...And why are the mobians included as well? With regards, Mr. Stone.'_

A tired sigh left the reader as she placed the letter back down on her desk. _'That is what I'd like to know too,'_ she privately agreed with her former-superior-turned-friend. _'But ever since the doctor arrived, only he, the king and I suspect the advisors know what's REALLY going on.'_

"Miss Topaz? The king would like you to come to his study. He wishes to discuss about the event with you."

 _'And speak of the devil...'_ Topaz stood up from her desk, swiftly placing the letter in her drawer in one smooth motion just as the servant opened the door slightly to peek in. By the time he did, the letter was already hidden safely with Topaz standing tall and proud, looking every bit of a Captain of the Guard as she was. "I will be there," she told him curtly with a nod, both an acknowledgement and a dismissal if anything. With that, the servant bowed and left her to her devices.

When the servant was gone, Topaz took one last look at her desk. If her suspicions were correct, the king probably wanted to arrange the guards, escorts and transport for the event. 'Hopefully, he'll be willing to answer some of my questions as well. In any case, I would need to know the answers either way if I were to arrange the escorts for mobians.' With that thought in mind, Topaz marched out of her office, heading down the carpet-lined halls that would inevitably lead to the king's study.

When reaching the ornate doors, she knocked three times, professional and standard. "Your Majesty? This is Topaz, Captain of the Guard," she announced, just loud enough so that it reached through the thick and heavy wooden doors.

"Ah, Topaz. Come in."

With permission granted, the woman pushed open the door and strode in, stopping in front of the king's desk with her back straight and hands behind her back. The king seemed as swamped with paperwork as usual, but he was handling them all with a professionalism and efficiency born from years of doing the same thing over and over. While not the greatest king, Topaz had to admit, his ability to push through paperwork for as long as he had been doing was quite admirable.

"Your Majesty, you wish to discuss with me about something?"

"Quite right!" the king exclaimed as he finished clearing his desk for the moment. "As Captain of the Guard, I would like you to be the one to arrange the escorts and guards for the villagers and citizens. As the mobian kingdoms are invited as well, we have that to discuss about. I have no doubts that the kingdom would bring their own escorts along, but would having our own mobian escorts as well be a sign of goodwill?"

 _'So the mobians are coming as well...'_ "The mobian kingdoms are not hostile, but they are not friendly towards us humans either," Topaz began. "Will they be traveling together with us or heading out on their own separate way?"

"Ah, I almost forgot. From the last correspondence I received, it appears they are not traveling with us. And to my knowledge, they have their own accommodation as well."

"In that case, we do not need to worry whether our mobian escorts would offend them or not, considering that they wish to keep to themselves. However, for the mobian citizens still residing in our kingdom, I say yes, mobian escorts are necessary as they are more knowledgeable about their own species, and the citizens themselves would be more comfortable with them," Topaz explained without worry that her suggestion would be rejected. Knowing the king, as long as you make it sound like a good idea, he would be willing to do it.

"That is a good insight, Topaz," the king, as she thought, agreed. "Well then, prepare-."

"Excuse me, your Majesty?" a voice called out from behind the doors. "Doctor Robo-I mean, Doctor Eggman is here to see you. He has something he wishes to show you."

Topaz could not help but feel as if the hairs on her neck were standing straight up as the doors swung open and a man strode in. By the characteristic egg-shaped body of his, that prominent bushy mustache and how his posture exuded an ambience of confidence and superiority (and how there seemed to be an undertone of _something_ in that man's presence that just set Topaz's alarms ringing like no tomorrow), there was no mistaking Doctor Eggman (as he insisted he be called by others).

"Ah, good afternoon, Your Majesty. Pardon me for the sudden intrusion, but I have something I must show you. I believe this will solve the issue of assigning your important guards as escorts for the event!" Doctor Eggman exclaimed, almost sounding like a salesperson as he swung his arm out in a wide gesture. "Behold!"

A group of men marched into the study, nearly barrelling over the poor servant still not dismissed from standing next to the door. They formed a line behind Doctor Eggman, backs straight and hands held to their sides, and that was when you could truly see the...strangeness.

Their faces looked as if they had been carved from stone from the total lack of emotion displayed. Not even the word 'neutral' was adequate enough to describe them. Their physiques and appearances showed no difference, as if each was a copy of the other. The only thing defining each from the other was the color of their uniform.

Topaz would have snarled if she did not stop herself from doing it when she noticed the men. She didn't need to take a second look to know that there was something wrong about them...

"Oh? And w-who are these fine gentlemen?" the king asked, a smile that thinly veiled his nervousness. _'Even the king is unnerved...'_ Topaz thought.

"Why, the escorts for the event of course!"

That earned some dubious looks from both Topaz and the king. "O-Oh! I see..." the king began. "Topaz, please add them to the list of escorts..."

"There is no need!" Doctor Eggman interrupted. "You see, this is just a small squad! I have more of these escorts, plenty enough to form a literal army! Perfect for escorting everyone while still having more around to act as guards as well, so you have no need to worry about a thing! I can handle the transports as well, so please don't bother yourselves with these two things."

"I-I see..."

"But what about the mobians living in our kingdom?" Topaz interjected, already knowing that the king was going to give into Doctor Eggman's words if she did not do something. "Doctor Eggman, while your help is appreciated, we still need to consider the citizens' needs as well, whether they be human or mobian. In addition, I believe it would ease the minds of the nobles if there are a few familiar faces from the Guard."

That last sentence seemed to be the magic sentence as Doctor Eggman's face twitched. He himself knew all too well how nobles could be if they did not get their way, and at the current time, he could not manhandle them...yet.

"I appreciate your insight, Miss Topaz," Doctor Eggman agreed. "Please compile a list of the escorts you plan to bring. With that done, I have something else I wish to discuss with your Majesty here...privately."

It was a dismissal as anything and Topaz strode out of the room, not sure whether to feel relieved or paranoid. _'Just what is going on between the king and the doctor...? Are they, no, that is a stupid question Topaz, of course they are planning something that they refuse to share with others.'_

 _'At least I have plenty to write to Stone about.'_

* * *

When Topaz had left the room, the king could barely hide his slumping shoulders. Doctor Eggman was quite...eccentric, but there were some of his eccentricities that were thoroughly toeing the line between eccentric and insane. Being left alone with the self-proclaimed doctor was never a good thing.

"What is it that you wish to discuss with me?" the king began, hoping to take his mind off his fears by acting as professional as he could.

"...Nothing serious, really," Doctor Eggman replied with a grin that only a fool would take as friendly. "I only wish to inform you that the villa is being spruced up right now as we speak."

"...Yes?"

"Well now, I will be taking my leave~!"

With that, Doctor Eggman turned in a flourish and barked at his staff, "Come on, let's get going!" In an almost robotic fashion, the men turned and marched after Doctor Eggman, leaving with a slam of the doors.

"...He certainly is up to something."

The voice was not of the king's. Rather, it was someone else who spoke up. The king turned to the unnoticed corner of his room from which a rather short man seemed to suddenly appear out of.

The other odd thing beside his unusually short height for his age (and the king would eat his own paperwork if that tenor voice belonged to anyone younger than at least twenty) was his clothing; a large poncho with a hood from which covered the entirety of the man's head, trousers, boots and gloves, giving not a single hint to his appearance.

"One does not just dismiss another in pretense to discuss something with you, only for it to turn out not to be a discussion at all," the man continued, stepping further into the study. "I suggest we be on our guard, for while Doctor Eggman may gave himself away with strange behavior, he certainly is quite tight-lipped about his plans, or even the reason behind this strange event he suddenly sprung on us."

The king sighed, feeling tired beyond belief. "I still think we should have refused his request," he muttered.

"But do you not think it is quite strange that Doctor Eggman, a man rumored to be quite anti-social even among his own circle and shunned for his eccentricities, suddenly decided to host such a widespread event? No one, not even eccentric, does something like this. And despite all things considered, Doctor Eggman is still a man of science. I do not think his actions have no reason..."

"You may be right," the king agreed. "So we'll be sure to keep an eye on him."

The man nodded and stepped back into the corner, seemingly disappearing from view. What the king did not know was that the man had actually appeared back outside the castle, chuckling all the while.

 **"Everything is going according to plan..."** A pair of hetero-chromatic eyes gleamed under the hood. **"Soon, the Guardian of the Ruby will be drawn out of hiding with this event causing some havoc, and then...I will finally obtain that jewel! The power over virtual reality shall be mine..."**

* * *

"Everything is going accordingly!"

Doctor Eggman cackled to himself in his huge mansion, rubbing his hands together. Pulling a candle holder stuck in the wall like a lever, a section of the wall slid away to reveal a secret passage, lit by rows of candles. The egg-shaped man marched down the hallway, all the while nearly bursting into maniac laughter (not that he had not already done it...).

Soon, after going down several flights of stairs, he reached a stone door. Carved in its center were concentric rings, divided by straight lines coming from the middle with strange symbols inside the rings. The man's gloved hand twisted each circle until a certain pattern was achieved, and the door slid open with nary a rumble.

Doctor Eggman smiled widely as he took in the sight of his secret laboratory. Inside, several more of those stone-faced men were working, assembling together strange parts made of stone and sticking on several talismans. "Yes, keep working! We are only a little more than two months away from the event!"

"By the time the Chaos Festival arrived, I will have an army of golems! And at long last, my dreams will become a reality! The Chaos Emeralds, the Master Emerald, all of them will be mine! Ohohohohoho!"

* * *

 **I hope this is not a boring chapter...but it is necessary. You guys need to know that Doctor Eggman isn't who he appears to be! He definitely got something big up his- Oh, who am I kidding? It is quite typical of Eggman to do this, no?**

 **So, whatcha think? Golems seem like a good substitute for robots, and also, did you notice the similarities between the 'short man wearing a poncho' and Eggman's scenes? It was a while later that I noticed myself, and I couldn't help laughing over it any time I read back again!**

 **Well, who do you think this poncho-wearing man is? He certainly seems like a villain. And what about this 'Guardian of the Ruby'? Just who could this guardian be? I'm not telling~! Until the future chapters come of course!**

 **And about my mobian OCs, they are there to show you the side of the citizens being affected by the events (I could do Chris's friends from Sonic X, but they are humans and they aren't exactly commoners in this story, so...). So yes, while it does feel a bit unrelated to the plot, please bear with it! It also helps that there will be an arc centered around them later in the FAR future.**

 **Thank you to those who are supporting this story (from Favorites, Follows and/or Reviews)!**


	6. Interlude 2

**We interrupt our temporary hiatus status with another interlude! Since I managed to FINALLY finish this, I thought I would post it.**

 **Note, there is a pattern now. After every two usual chapters, I will post an interlude. This pattern shows no signs of changing unless something happened in the far future... With that said...**

 **Last time, Lord Gerald Kintobor asked the king permission to enter Mystic Forest with intents on doing some research in hopes of finding a cure for his sick granddaughter Maria, only for the king to refuse him with reasons that the laws forbid anyone from entering the forest. However, the king seemed to be hiding something, and Lord Gerald decided to disobey his order. Hope he doesn't get caught! Now, we see Gerald's arrival at Mystic Forest. Just what would he find?**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Sonic cast except for original characters, one of which will be in this interlude.  
**

* * *

Interlude 2

The journey took nearly a month of constant traveling, even by horse. It was understandable, as Station Square was at the northernmost tip of the continent, hugging the coast. Several smaller towns and cities congregated around Station Square, before being scattered into villages and even smaller settlements. All of these were at the northern section of their half of the continent, and the rest of the land was owned by the untamed wilderness, including Lord Kintobor's destination, Mystic Forest.

As Lord Kintobor neared the looming forest, he pondered over its mystery. An interesting fact about Mystic Forest was that it was the only forest in the human kingdom, separated from the mobians' kingdoms by the mountain range that acted as a natural boundary. Another was its unusual shape; if one were to take a bird's eye view, they would see that Mystic Forest was made up of several scattered wooded areas, all connected to a larger tree-covered area. Technically, despite the connections, those scattered areas should be considered as separate forests, but instead, all forested areas were named Mystic Forest, a peculiarity that perplexed Lord Kintobor.

Of course, that was not the only thing perplexing about Mystic Forest. There were others, such as the large amount of lore, myths and stories that shrouded the place.

During his journey, he frequented inns for a day or two of rest and took the chance to ask the locals questions about Mystic Forest. Well...asking questions might be a bit of a misnomer; it was more as if people couldn't stop talking about Mystic Forest. **Everyone** had a story - which never ceased to amuse the lord, for if the forest was to be completely untouched according to the king's laws, it had already failed spectacularly in that aspect - either one they 'experienced themselves' or passed by the word of mouth, and all had at least a mention of things... _supernatural things._

Now, Lord Kintobor was a man of science. He was a firm believer of the saying 'seeing is believing'. At first, he dismissed those supernatural mentions. But when EVERY story he came across had mentions and supernatural encounters, all diverse and lacking signs of being copied by another, he was starting to be suspicious. Oh no, he was not quite at the point where he would abandon his beliefs and freely admit that there was such a thing as supernatural beings, but at the very least, there was something about the forest that seemed to induce such thoughts in other humans.

All in all, Mystic Forest was a package of mystery that Lord Kintobor felt just a tad confused on where to begin opening. In spite of this though, he couldn't help but feel confident. With such undiscovered potential, there was a high chance that he would find something that would help his dear granddaughter recover. So it was with high hopes that he crossed the threshold of the forest, urging his horse through the trees.

Mystic Forest was extremely beautiful, in spite of all the rumors and ghost stories that painted a haunted look. The trees were large and ancient in their age. Moss and mushrooms grew on their darkly-colored bark. Their branches reached far and high, entwining with neighboring branches to form a green leafy canopy, one that cast shadows and allowed shafts of sunlight in at the same time to cast an emerald glow on the vegetation carpet.

Sounds and smells were everywhere; the chirping of the birds, the chattering of the squirrels, the rustling of leaves, the fresh scent of grass, the musk of damp earth, the scent that just described nature, it showed that the forest was alive. As a man who was unable to experience nature in such a fashion, it was a wonderful first impression. _'Maria would love to see this...'_ he thought to himself, remembering the young girl's love for their garden back home.

The day passed by without much fuss. Lord Kintobor spent it setting up his campsite, and with how diverse his research would be, it was no wonder the large tent took much of the day to set up. So, for the first day, there was nothing unusual to take note of.

It was tomorrow when things would get really shaken up for our science-minded lord.

On the next day, Lord Kintobor began his exploration of Mystic Forest. He took his horse with him in case he came across a source of food and water for the animal. But rather than riding the horse, he instead trekked on foot, preferring to do so because it gave him more chances of taking in the flora and fauna of the forest. He headed towards the south, mind mentally memorizing his surroundings so that he may place them on a makeshift map in the future and eyes searching for any signs of a rare, unusual or perhaps even undiscovered species. To his disappointment though, while Mystic Forest had a good biodiversity, there wasn't anything rare, unusual or undiscovered.

A heavy feeling rested on his shoulders at the disappointment. Maybe this journey wasn't worth it. Maybe this exploration was entirely pointless and that Mystic Forest was nothing special. Perhaps he should just leave Mystic Forest and-.

 **"I demand that you return the talisman to me!"**

The shout was entirely surprising, breaking his concentration and drawing his attention. Lord Kintobor had never expected there to be another person in the forest. For a brief moment, curiosity and caution warred against each other. On one hand, he could be recognized as a lord (sometimes, he cursed his genes for giving him such a conspicuous mustache) and reported to the king for his trespassing in the forbidden forest. On the other hand, he could do the same to this stranger, and because of that, perhaps they could come to an agreement in keeping the other's presence in Mystic Forest a secret. With that, his carefully-considered curiosity won and he followed the shout.

It led him to a tall tree, so tall that even its lowest branches were well out of his reach. And standing underneath it was a canine mobian, an Ethiopian wolf with their characteristic red-against-white coats. The wolf was glaring up at an object stuck in the lowest branches of the tree, trying to reach up for it. A futile effort, with how high the branch was compared to the mobian. Even when he tried to stand tip-toes on a protruding root, his fingers were far from even brushing against the leaves, let alone the branch.

 **"I swear, if you refuse to give me back the talisman this instant, I will-!"**

"What seems to be the matter?" Lord Kintobor decided to ask, interrupting the wolf's threat to a seemingly-non-existent person. The wolf whirled around, vivid gold eyes glaring in surprise at the human before shifting to a neutral expression.

 **"My talisman. It got stuck up in the tree, and I am afraid I have not the slightest idea on how to climb trees..."** the wolf explained lowly, tail stiff and upright in a show of irritation. **"Now, if you will excuse me, I have things to do and a certain wood sprite to threaten..."** The last part was mumbled under his breath, escaping the lord's ears. The wolf then turned back to the tree and tried to grab for his talisman once more. **"I swear, if it was not for how fragile it is, I would just throw a stone at you..."** he growled faintly.

Lord Kintobor watched the event pass by, feeling pity. The wolf was obvious delusional, threatening someone that wasn't even there in the first place. And by the scruffy condition of his gloves, shoes and clothes, it was obvious that the wolf had been living in the forest for possibly years, without any contact with the normal society. And to top it off, he was a mobian. In the human kingdom, mobians were second-rate citizens at best; at worst, they were slaves or even 'pets', so even if he were to leave the forest, he wouldn't be accepted among the humans...

With a shake of his head, Lord Kintobor decided to give this wolf some help. "Wolf, I might be able to help you get your talisman back," he told the mobian before offering his hands. "May I lift you up?"

Gold eyes stared at the bare hands (and for some reason, also the human's shoulders) in suspicion before looking up at the lord's face. The wolf must have seen something in the human's expression that he relaxed and nodded to the lord's question. With permission received, Lord Kintobor lifted the wolf by his armpits and hoisted him up. When he saw that it was still insufficient, the lord placed the mobian on top of his horse. The wolf immediately stood up, balancing himself on the saddle and tried to reach for the talisman once more.

 **"Almost..."** the wolf gritted his teeth in frustration. He was nearly there, just needed a bit more height...

Lord Kintobor chose that moment to mount his horse and lift the wolf mobian up higher. A victorious grin chased off the frustrated look on the wolf's face as his gloved hand grasped the talisman securely. **"Got it!"** he exclaimed, waving the talisman around. **"Now, begone with you!"**

Lord Kintobor frowned, insulted that the wolf was chasing him off, only to blink in surprise when there was a sudden gust of wind that blew past them, startling the horse into rearing up. In his shock, he let go of the wolf and used his hands to steady himself. The wolf was sent off the bucking horse, but he easily landed on his feet, unbothered by the sudden motion. Once he straightened himself, he turned to Lord Kintobor with a friendlier look. **"I thank you for your assistance. My name is Ga-, Ether. I am Ether,"** the wolf introduced himself, quickly correcting whatever he was about to say.

Lord Kintobor took no notice of it. Instead, he dismounted his horse and returned the gesture politely, introducing himself, "It is no matter. And I am...Gerald." He used his first name instead of his last, just in case. He was known by his last name more famously than his first, and despite how improbable it was that Ether here knew of the human society, he still did not want to take risks unless they were calculated.

 **"Gerald,"** Ether hummed. **"Well, to show my thanks, I would like to offer my help. A favor in return for a favor, so to speak."** The wolf tilted his head, his gold eyes almost eerie in the way they stared at Gerald, no, at Gerald's shoulders. **"Of course, the clean-up will be free of charge..."**

* * *

 **Alright, that's all for this interlude!**

 **Now, please take note of the bold text used for Ether's speech. If you remember past chapters, there is someone who uses bold text. Can you guess the connection~? Even if you can't, I'd still love to hear your theories!  
**

 **Hope you enjoyed this interlude.**


	7. Chapter 5

**Quick question. Has anyone every watched Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog? I have, and I AM IN LOVE WITH IT! Dang, imagine Modern Sonic with THAT many disguises!**

 **Sorry it has been so long; got caught up in the hype of my other fanfiction. But now, I'm feeling that hype die down and before it can die completely, I need to refresh... Funny how From the Wilderness is supposed to be my 'for-fun' fanfiction, but it ended up turning the opposite way...**

 **Anyway, on with the fanfic!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own the franchise at all!**

* * *

Chapter 5

The wind spirit smiled to itself as it breezed through the green, green forest. The late winter had passed by, and spring was already maturing, bringing out the verdant greens in the leaves and the vibrant plethora of colors in the blooming flowers that any artist would love to put on their palette. The scent of fresh grass and damp earth from the summer showers, the warm scent of sunshine from the lengthening days and the fragrance of roses permeated the forest...

 _"Wait...roses? But the roses here don't bloom until... Oh."_

One could have seen the wind spirit's wince were it to take on an expression at that moment. Really, the spirit had nothing against its fellow spirit...just...

 _"Darling~! Where are you? I have come to visit you!"_

Just...the rose spirit didn't seem to realize that the wind was not looking for a lover at the moment. And the wind wished that she would understand its reluctance...

 _"There you are~!"_ The scent of roses grew much stronger as the spirit skipped out from the bushes. Unlike the mountain and itself (they both usually chose to remain in their elemental forms, a mass of conscious energy), the rose spirit usually took on a mortal form.

Currently, her form was of a hedgehog mobian. And true to herself, her fur was the color of pink roses, accented by the softer peach color on her muzzle and arms, while she was clothed in a flowing dress dyed in the deepest of rose red. Eyes were as vividly green as the summer leaves, and they sparkled upon noticing the wind spirit.

 _"Oh darling~! I missed you so much! Winter never felt so long! Why haven't you visited me during the spring?"_ the rose spirit bemoaned, clasping her hands together and bringing attention to the golden bracelets adorning her wrists, akin to thorny vines bearing gold-colored roses.

 _"Rose..."_ the wind sighed, carefully keeping its distance just enough that the rose didn't think it was avoiding her while not being close enough to be caught (not that it was possible; it was the wind after all! Nothing could catch it... Just...that it would prefer to be safer than be sorry. Of course!). _"I was needed elsewhere during the spring. I also would prefer not to be harassed for distracting you by your charges..."_

 _'And speaking of which...'_ From behind the rose spirit, several sprites flew into the open. Bird-like, their feathers rose-petal-soft and shaded in similar colors, they appeared as a hybrid between a Flicky and a rose.

The rose giggled at that. _"Oh, do not be such a stranger! And my charges were not harassing you! They are such darlings really..."_ She trailed off at the last sentence with a sigh, one that was both content and sad. She knew all too well of the wind spirit's inability to have charges of its own.

 _"Darlings or not, I am afraid they still have not forgiven me yet for the last mischievous exploit I pulled on them,"_ the wind spirit's whistle drawled out as it dodged one of the larger sprites. _"I see that my painting of their red roses white have not been well-received..."_

 _"Oh, silly~!"_ the rose laughed at the sprites. _"You do not need to be furious about that! In my opinion, the gesture is quite lovely~! White roses, the symbolism of purity, innocence and a traditional flower for the ceremonial union between two lovers~!"_

The wind spirit slowly backed further away as the rose sighed dreamily, lost in her fantasies and her own memories of witnessing such unions in both the spirit and mortal realms. _"Oh, how romantic~! My darling, while you may not accept our fate together, have you not seen the signs~? Just you wait darling. One day, you will fall in love with me, just as I am in with you..."_

The rose spirit gave one last longing sigh before her dreamy expression faded away. _"Now, I must inform you of the reason behind my visit. I am sure the Guardian of the Master Emerald has informed you of the incoming Chaos Festival."_

 _"The mountain? Yes he has."_

 _"Well, Spring has invited me to come along with the rest of the Seasons and Mother Nature to the Festival. Would you like to come with us?"_ the rose asked with a slightly nervous smile. _"I understand that you prefer to travel alone, but I do wish to extend the invitation to you. Of course, you may invite your kit as well, and any other spirits! I am quite sure Mother Nature would not mind and-."_

 _"Thank you for your invitation, rose...and I will be glad to accept it."_ The rose spirit seemed slightly surprised at that, causing the wind spirit to huff. _"While I may not be entirely comfortable with your rather bold approaches, it does not mean I cannot come along as a friend. And my kit will haunt me with his illusions if I were to refuse the invitation and a chance for him to reunite with his friends."_

The rose could not help an amused laugh at the intentional joke against it. _"I am sure he would have forgiven you...eventually. He does look up to you quite a lot."_ _'As do I...'_

 _"Well..."_ Her rose sprites decided to stop harassing the wind and returned to their mistress' side. _"I must be going now; Summer will not be pleased were he to notice my presence during his reign,"_ she said with a smile, her mischief thinly veiled. _"We will all meet up at the base of Mount Crescent in precisely three days, when Solaris' light touched the tip of the crescent. Do not be late~!"_

With that last teasing parting, the rose spirit drifted away with her sprites and the roses' aroma, leaving the wind to race through the trees to inform its kit of the future plans.

* * *

 **"The Chaos Festival is upon us."**

Golden eyes fell shut, a thoughtful yet wary frown marring his expression. In the cave, the reptile skeletons' bones chattered and jangled, a symphony mirroring his own unease.

 **"I will be gone for three days, as my host is required to go. And I will be a fool if I don't notice that this event coincides with the Festival, both the time and place. The humans...they are interfering. It will be best if I am there to make sure the Festival goes without interruption."** Raising a hand, he revealed the gem from its illusion the last time he was here and held it in his gloved hand. **"As such, I will be taking the ruby with me."**

The skeletons shivered, an automatic protective response rising to their master's words.

 **"You need not to fret,"** he soothed even as he stored the gem away in his clothes. **"I will make sure to use a talisman to keep its presence hidden. And if worse comes to worse, I will send it to the Null Space. Only Gods will be able to reach it then..."** He sighed, and hoped that it wouldn't come to that last resort. Because that was what it was; a last resort where the ruby would forever be lost within the depths of Null Space, along with their chances of being free from their cursed states. Not to mention, there was the smallest chance that a God would discover the ruby, and if that happened...

The planet might not survive the chaos that would follow.

 **"Now...I must be going. I will not be back for three days. Until then, please continue to keep watch over this mountain."**

He walked out of the cave, not looking back as the entrance and himself disappeared into the surrounding mist.

* * *

It was extremely early in the morning, the sky just barely lighting up with the early summer sun. Usually, only a few people would be awake at this time of the day. But with only an hour left until the transports arrived at their village to take them to Emerald Bay, everyone was wide awake and in a tizzy. The humans were rushing outside, lining up with small bags containing some of their belongings while the officials were busy with supervision and totting around lists (for both the citizens and the luggage they were sporting).

In all of this chaos, Riley, Cody, Faline and the rest of the mobians living in their little shack watched the rush from the safety of an alleyway. "I wonder if we will get the same wagon as the humans..." Faline murmured, her eyes darting to any human that came too close to the alley.

"That is highly unlikely," Cody snorted. "Either the humans protest against it or the leader already planned separate wagons for the mobians..."

"We'll have our own wagons," Riley replied to that. "Look; the other mobians are also gathering in a separate line from the humans." He pointed at the right section of the town square where the only humans were officials; the rest were mobians, all lining up and muttering to each other quietly while avoiding the human officials as much as they could.

"Think we will have to go as well?" the wolf pup clinging onto Riley's leg rasped out.

"We probably have to..." Riley sighed, noticing a certain village leader keeping a particular eye on the mobians. _'Sometimes, I wish he would just do something about the prejudice we face against humans rather than just standing at the sidelines and helping us in secret. Things would be much better for ALL mobians living in the village if he were to use his position in more proactive ways... And this secrecy is not entirely helpful, not where there is no way to approach him without being seen. The other mobians are sure to get suspicious, but there is nothing I can do to stop it...'_

He turned towards the rest of the mobians. "Is everyone ready? Any last-minute thing to do?" he asked once more. "Our trip will take two days and I don't know when we will get a break. So if you need to go to the restroom, you best do it."

The younger mobians shook their head or whispered out 'no'. Riley waited for a few more seconds so that the others could make up their minds before taking another mental count. When all eight mobians, including himself, Cody and Faline, were present, he stepped out of the alleyway and headed towards the town square. The rest immediately fell into a neat line, almost like a group of ducklings following their mother around.

"Mr. Stone, we are here," Riley called out as they approached, earning a few looks from their fellow mobians and unabashed stares from the officials for the way he spoke so casually towards their village leader. The red dog mobian ignored those looks with ease, though he did make sure he was shielding the other mobians from most of the stares.

"Riley," Mr. Stone's returned greeting that even had a hint of friendliness earned a few jaw-drops. "And company, of course." The added recognition just continued to surprise them. "As you all prefer to stick together, you will have a wagon of your own, shared with the king's mobian escorts of course. Everyone is here?"

"We're all here," Cody replied, his focused stare and attempt at standing equally next to Riley a (tried) show of bravado. But to his dismay, the Chinese Crested dog still inwardly flinched when he could not help but notice a few disgusted looks at his lack of fur. It took all of his stubborn will not to dart back behind Riley and out of sight.

"Very good," Mr. Stone hummed. He turned to the officials that were still frozen. "Well, what are you standing around for? Get back to work." His dry words snapped them out of their shock and they scrambled in an effort to go back to work. Riley and company quietly gathered at the very back of the mobian line, the Red Dog making sure to stare down any mobian that dared to try and comment about the little ragtag group of orphans among them.

"I don't like this..." a cat, much younger than Faline, whined quietly.

"I don't either," a surly-looking mouse just a few months older than the cat murmured, comforting the younger cat by holding his hand. "But it's only for three days. And during that time, we can just stay in our rooms and only come out when we need to..."

"Yeah. We won't have to see anyone else at all during those days. We even have our own wagon!"

"Which we'll have to share with mobian escorts from the human kingdom."

"Hey, Cody?" Faline asked quietly. "Do you think...do you think the other mobians in the human kingdom are treated nicely? What about the escorts? Are they nice?"

"I'm sure they are nice. Otherwise, Mr. Stone would not let them come with us," Cody replied, trying to reassure both himself and Faline, despite being entirely lacking in confidence about his own words. As all of the mobians had only known this village, they had no idea how other mobians outside of their village were like.

Thoughts whirling around the mobians and their treatment in the human kingdom disappeared when they all heard the approaching rumble of wagon carts and the rhythmic thumping of hoofs. Everyone turned to look at the entrance to the town square to see a line of canvas-covered wagons drawn by powerful non-mobian Clydesdale horses coming. They circled around the central fountain, coming to a stop before a complete circle.

Riding at the head of the wagons were coaches, mostly humans. From the wagons, the escorts jumped out. There were mobian escorts and human escorts...but for some reason, the stony faces of the humans served to unnerve everyone seeing them.

"Makes me glad I'm not a human..." Cody whispered, wide-eyed at the identical human guards tossing the luggage into the wagons. "I don't even think they are humans..."

Riley himself was having a hard time keeping his hackles down. "Despite all appearances, I don't think they are humans at all... Just look at them. They look more like living statues come to life than actual living breathing humans..." _'In fact, I don't think their chests are even moving...'_ Riley's thoughts took a morbid turn. _'The humans look just as uneasy as we do...but they don't seem to be freaking out... The mobians on the other hand...'_

Riley could smell their fear and trepidation at the sight of these statue-like guards. As mobians being closer to animals, there were things they could sense better than other humans, like an age-old instinct of sorts that can predict earthquakes, sense rainstorms and other natural disasters. But there was nothing they could do. Even if they did try to protest, their words would only go unheard by the humans.

 _'...We'll just stay as far away from them as possible,'_ Riley decided as their turn to board came. _'Without knowing the true situation, we can't do anything either way.'_

* * *

 **I don't think you need three guesses to who the rose spirit is. What about the Seasons and Mother Nature though? Who could they be~?**

 **Mount Crescent is Knuckles' (the mountain spirit) home. It is located at the edge of Mystic Forest, one of the mountains of the mountain range that divides the humans from the mobians. And to the south of everything is Emerald Coast, Emerald Bay and Emerald Sea, which is where everyone is heading.**

 **About the object being guarded...I'm sure everyone knows what it is now. And if you all look back through previous chapters and Interludes, you'll know for sure that this object is...THE PHANTOM RUBY! Gold-Eyes is the Guardian of the Ruby, the person the poncho-guy is looking for. And by that, I'm sure you already have an inkling on who the poncho-guy might be (with the hetero-chromatic eyes as a big hint...). Answers are there folks! Just have to find them...**

 **Now, what did Gold-Eyes meant by 'last resort'? If it isn't clear, what he means is that if he tosses the ruby into Null Space, he won't be able to find it again, and since he believes that the ruby is the key to their curse, it would mean that he and the skeletons will have no chance of breaking their curse. Also, since he can't protect the ruby in the Null Space, if a God happens to find it...well, finders keepers, plus a lot of destruction, because the other Gods I haven't mentioned yet...they're not exactly the best candidates to be handed a weapon of mass destruction.**

 **Alright! If you have any questions, don't feel shy to ask! As long as they're not related to spoilers of course...**


	8. Chapter 6

**I'M SO SORRY! I'M SO SORRY THAT I JUST ABOUT ABANDONED THIS FANFIC! But don't worry, because I'm back! This time, this time, for sure! I. Will. Stick. To. This. Fanfic... Until I have the same amount of chapters as From the Wilderness. Because it is unfair that I concentrate on one while just about tossing away this fanfic.**

 **Now, to the review response section!**

 **Mitha Sentro: Yes! I have achieved the mysterious approach! XD! And after I've seen the Sonic Forces cutscenes compilation (cough*afterseeingInfinite*cough), I. Am. Hooked. I just HAVE to put Sonic Forces in, and since the Phantom Ruby is a power source that is practically a plot hole in itself, it'll be fun determining/figuring/making up what its power really is! And as for what will happen, you'll have to find out~!**

 **Alright, with that said, onto the chapter!**

* * *

Chapter 6

Mount Crescent. It was an aptly-named landform, known for its unique peak shaped like a crescent. And as it was covered so thickly in snow that it appeared pure white, it was no wonder that the mortals gave it its name, for it indeed looked as if a crescent moon had perched itself on top of a plateau.

The wind spirit whistled cheerily as it raced up the mountain. Right on its tail, its kitsune charge followed, bounding through the snow and sending the white cold flakes flying. They were early, as Solaris' light had not yet reached the peak, but the two spirits couldn't wait, especially the kit.

 _"I cannot wait to see Spring!"_ the kit joyfully yipped, much to the wind spirit's amusement.

 _"I cannot imagine the reason behind your impatience, little kit, or why it is specifically Spring you wish to see. Mind telling your brother?"_ the wind asked teasingly, to which the kit yelped in protest and playfully pounced on the other spirit. The mountain air rang with their gleeful laughter as they gave way to a friendly chase, climbing higher and higher up the crescent.

When the wind arrived at the top, the kit caught up and managed to finally catch his brother, yipping excitedly. The wind huffed, but it stayed still and let the kit have his fun despite hating being caught. As long as the kit was having fun, the wind didn't mind making some exceptions.

 _"Brother, look!"_ the kit spoke up, drawing the wind's attention. Just ahead of the two, the snow was starting to stir, before swirling upwards on its own. More and more flakes gathered, swirling round and round before suddenly, in one swift motion, falling back to the ground and revealing a white bat mobian standing in that spot.

She was incredibly beautiful, with her pure white fur, ice-blue eyes and hourglass figure. A rich purple coat with a hood and lined with thick black fur was worn over a sleek black dress with a pink heart on its torso. All of her clothes, and even her fur and wings, were lightly frosted, making her shine as if she was covered in diamond dust (which could even be the case knowing the spirit's infamous love for jewels and gemstones).

Her eyes gazed at the nervous yet curious kit and the wind spirit dangling in his jaws, and a mischievous smile spread across her face. _"Well now! Fancy that! The spirit that proclaimed to be uncatchable, being caught by a young spirit? You must be losing your touch, wind..."_

 _"Haha, very funny,"_ the wind huffed grouchily while the kit's ears lowered in guilt and his jaws opened, freeing the other spirit. The wind shook itself and hovered in place, the breezes combing through the kitsune's fur its way of saying 'don't feel bad'. _"Hello_ _there, snow spirit. To what do I own the pleasure of your company?"_

 _"I was just curious. My home has not received visitors often,"_ the snow spirit purred, her voice low and sultry. _"And my curiosity has paid off. I did not know that you have taken a charge of your own. I thought you would be a lone drifter. I see now that the mountain's words are true."_

 _"And I see you are still following him,"_ the wind remarked, letting its breezes brush through the white flakes on the ground to stir them up and amuse its bored kit. _"Which makes me curious to why you are here. I thought you would have already followed the mountain and the shaman once they left for the Festival ground."_

 _" While I would love to travel with the mountain and his gorgeous green beauty of a gemstone, I was prior invited to travel along with Master Winter,"_ the snow sighed disappointedly, before perking up. _"Still, this is the event of a lifetime!_ _I have heard from the walls of this mountain that the Seven Chaos Emeralds will be there as well... Quite an opportunity!"_

The wind spirit sighed while the snow daydreamed of shiny gemstones. While the supernatural community knew better than to try and obtain the Chaos Emeralds ( _Chaos forbid anyone dared to try and take the Master Emerald; they'd just be asking for a beating from its overprotective mountain guardian or even the God Chaos himself_ ), it did not mean that the Chaos Emeralds would be safe _after_ the Festival. There was sure to be a fight...and the wind did not doubt that the snow would throw her hat in the ring as well.

 _"No one will be stealing the Chaos Emeralds for this Festival now,"_ a new voice spoke up, drawing the three spirits' attention. The air around them seemed to freeze as the powerful spirit approached the two, leaving no footprints behind on the snow. A purple chameleon mobian, but he was no mortal. Just like the snow spirit, his scales were frosted and outlined with ice. Elaborate wristbands and ankle bands made of the darkest pine wood and studded with gold were what he wore, given to him by Mother Nature herself.

His gold eyes that marked him as a Season gazed intensely at the snow spirit. _"And that includes you as well, snow,"_ he spoke firmly with a frown on his face.

 _"Master Winter,"_ the snow greeted with a nod and a sly smile, the word 'master' being spoken with a sarcastic tint. _"I am quite sure no one would dare to steal the Chaos Emeralds during the Festival."_

 _"That is right! Because we are here to protect them!"_ another voice spoke up boisterously as another mobian lumbered onto the scene. Unlike Winter, his presence warmed the air, almost unbearably were it not for Winter's own icy aura contradicting. The mobian crocodile was a rich green, similar to the summer leaves of Mystic Forest. He wore the same accessories as his fellow Season, only with gold buckles than studs, and just like Winter, his eyes were also a bright gold color.

 _"Ah, so that means the Seasons will be the chaperones of the Festival?"_ the wind spirit asked almost rhetorically as it floated over to Winter and Summer, greeting them with a friendly breeze, while its kit bowed respectfully.

 _"Quite right,"_ Winter replied, sending a cold breeze to return the wind's gesture before allowing the young kit to approach, staying still while indulging the young spirit's curiosity. Summer was much more flamboyant though, changing back to his elemental form and embracing the wind before ruffling the kit's fur, earning a surprised yip. _"Autumn and Spring will arrive soon, along with Rose and Mother Nature."_

Just as he said those words, the ground underneath started rumbling quietly. Winter and Summer, who was now back in his mortal form, immediately went down on one knee, their heads lowered in a respectful bow. The two-tailed kitsune followed, lowering his upper body and laying his head on his front paws. The snow spirit, one who usually rebelled against authority figures, even bowed in a small curtsy, and the wind spirit itself stilled as much as it could, despite hating the idea of not moving.

Before them, the snow was gently pushed away, revealing an opening crack in the earth. From it, green light curled up in delicate tendrils, bearing glowing leaves and yellow orchid-like flowers that permeated the air with a heavy scent of vanilla. A powerful aura could be felt, one that spoke of the earth, the trees, even the sky and the oceans themselves. To the spirits' sight, they could see its gold color, much deeper and richer than Chaos Energy.

In unison, all the spirits spoke, _"We welcome you, Mother Nature, The Gaia's Emissary and its Guardian."_

 _"Thank you..."_ a soft voice rang out, and from the light, four figures emerged. They were all mobians, and shared the same gold eyes as Winter and Summer. Among them was the rose spirit, who immediately went to the wind and its kit once she saw them. _"It is such a joyous occasion to see you again, darling~!"_ she exclaimed, smiling brightly before turning to the kit. _"And the same goes to you to, little one~!"_

 _"Rose! You have quite a nerve, do you know that? Do you think I did not notice your presence during my reign when you should have been with Spring?"_ Summer roared, interrupting the reunion as he stormed over to the rose spirit who did not look too scared. _"It is only thanks to Lady Luck that you are Spring's charge, or else..."_

 _"Summer, do not be crude,"_ Winter scolded while keeping a respectable distance away from the rose spirit so that his icy aura did not affect her negatively. _"There is no law prohibiting the rose from going where she desires. While yes, she should have asked your permission to intrude, there is no need for violence. She did not attempt to spread her roses and break the balance of the Seasons after all. Now, if that were the case..."_

 _"Of course, Master Summer, Master Winter,"_ the rose replied respectfully, before another spirit invited himself into their group. He was a young bee, who wore a vest colored in the vivid hues of autumn leaves and the black wooden wristbands of the other seasons. Instead of ankle bands though, he wore a black helmet with its visor flipped up.

 _"Summer! Winter! Great to see you two again!"_ the bee cheered, zipping over to his fellow Seasons. _"How have you been? I have just finished spreading autumn to the mobians. You have left a lot of work for me to do, Summer. There were so many plants for me to bring autumn to, but that just gives me more leaves to jump in! It was so fun! And Winter, you-."_

 _"Quiet now Autumn,"_ Winter chided, interrupting Autumn's excited babble. _"It is not polite to ignore the other spirits."_

 _"I was not ignoring them!"_ Autumn protested. He turned to the wind spirit and waved his arms in a greeting. _"Nice to see you again, wind! When I visit your forest again, let us race again!"_

 _"I will be waiting!"_ the wind agreed. Autumn grinned and turned to the two-tailed kit. Before long, the two childish spirits and the wind were chasing each other while the last two spirits approached. They were both rabbits, looking like a mother and her daughter from their shared cream-colored fur and similar orange markings. The daughter wore a dress with a simple shape and decorated with various flowers that kept changing, and unlike the other Seasons, she wore no wristbands or ankle bands. A crown of flowers rested upon her head, and its flowers changed just as the ones on her dress did.

Right now, upon seeing the other spirits gathered on the crescent-shaped peak, those flowers changed to alstroemeria and bird of paradise. _"Greetings everyone!"_ she chirped with a polite bow.

 _"Spring,"_ both Winter and Summer acknowledged, the latter grinning happily as he picked up the smaller mobian and set her on his shoulders. Winter frowned, but he simply sighed and let the two Seasons be.

The other rabbit had a soft yet stern expression on her face as she approached the group. _"Everyone,"_ she began, her voice echoing and drawing everyone's attention in an instant. _"While I know you would all love to acquaint with each other, I must insist that we start our journey. Time will not wait, and it is imperative that we arrive in time to help the Guardian and the shaman."_

 _"Of course!"_ Summer spoke first, immediately drawing himself and puffing out his chest. _"Let us start moving now! Come on, we have wasted enough time!"_

* * *

The journey was lighthearted as the spirits gravitated towards each other for conversation. The more childish spirits, such as Spring, Autumn and the kit, ran ahead, playing games and conversing with each other. Winter was lingering near the back with the snow spirit, exchanging small talk (though it seemed more of a one-sided conversation with how little Winter was contributing). Summer was lumbering next to Mother Nature, the former eagerly (and quite loudly) speaking of his season (especially since it was currently his reign of the year) while the latter listened patiently with a gentle smile on her face. And the opposite image of this was the wind spirit who was escaping a talk with the rose by flying over to the playing spirits ahead, leaving the rose to huff and sigh in disappointment.

Since the wind was not willing to converse with her, the rose turned towards Winter and the snow spirit. Despite being from conflicting seasons, the rose had nothing against the two, and it showed as she stepped closer, keeping just enough distance so that Winter's icy aura did not effect her. _"Master Winter, snow,"_ she greeted first, drawing their attention.

 _"Rose,"_ both greeted back before the snow smirked teasingly. _"I see you are not having much luck in drawing the wind's attention,"_ she dared to poke the sleeping lion.

 _"And you yourself are not having much luck in drawing the mountain's attention,"_ the rose retorted, to which the snow spirit huffed but mercifully took no further insult. She knew that she had it coming, being the one to instigate the topic. _"But is it true? Will the Seven Chaos Emeralds be there for the Festival?"_ the rose asked next, directing the question mostly to Winter.

 _"Quite so,"_ Winter replied. _"It will be the first time the Chaos Emeralds have been gathered for the Festival in several decades, the last occasion being The Invasion..."_

The last two words were spoken solemnly and Winter's gold eyes lowered to the ground in a brief moment that was clearly in some sort of respectful mourning. It instantly drew the two spirits' attention, and the snow spirit leaned in. _"Forgive me, but I must ask, just what is this...invasion you are referring to?"_ she asked, rather respectfully, having felt Winter's solemnity.

 _"You are several decades old, snow. I am surprised you do not know of The Invasion,"_ Winter murmured, his sharp eyes and biting tone as cold as the ice he commanded showing his disapproval. The snow's wings flapped lightly in response, returning the agitation.

 _"Please Master Winter, for I am admittedly curious as well,"_ the rose cut in demurely, in hopes of hearing about the Invasion and stopping a possible fight. _"Could you please tell us about it?"_

 _"...There is no need for much description,"_ Winter began. _"Just as I said, it was an invasion. During a Chaos Festival, they came. Like a black and red tide, they appeared from the sky. Great beasts that terrorized the spirits, attacking viciously and without mercy. They were like incarnations of destruction. Up to this day, no one knows of their origin, but we do know of their plan. How could we not, when the Master Emerald was nearly taken that day?"_

The rose could not keep in a sharp gasp while the snow spirit stiffened. The Master Emerald, nearly taken? The snow was the first to recover, shaking her head and speaking, _"But that clearly did not take place. I suppose Chaos himself rose up to fight back?"_

 _"He did not, for the ritual has not been completed. He could not take his mortal form yet,"_ Winter growled. _"And all would have been lost, if it were not for the Seven Chaos Emeralds..."_ Winter paused here, a contemplative look in his eyes, but he still continued, _"Their power was what repelled the Invasion, but it took too much...and they scattered to an unknown location. For decades, we searched and searched, but we could never find them...until now, when the Master Emerald and Chaos themselves allowed us to."_

 _"Let us hope that this Chaos Festival will go smoothly..."_

Winter spoke no more, so the two spirits started conversing with each other. As the journey continued, the Season's mind continued to turn around the topic.

 _'The Chaos Emeralds being found...the Chaos Gods gathering... These signs... It must be because of_ him. He _will finally return...'_ Winter's eyes briefly closed, and a small smirk flitted across his face. _'It will be a joy to see_ you _again...'_

* * *

 **And that's it for Chapter 6! Now, if you people want to know who is this _he_ I am referring to, please read Chapter 3. That is where _he_ is first mentioned. Any guesses on who this _he_ could be? **

**As for The Invasion (very creative name, I know), it was first mentioned all the way in Chapter 1. I think some of you know what it is, considering I just described it as 'a tide of black and red that is after the Master Emerald'. Remember any villain in the Sonic franchise of the same description? Another hint: they come every five decade.**

 **So, whatcha' think of my choice for who the Seasons and Mother Nature should be? Spring is the adorable Cream, Summer is the boisterous Vector, Autumn is the playful Charmy and Winter is the serious Espio, while Mother Nature is the motherly Vanilla! And don't worry, Cheese exists in this fanfic; he's Cream's charge (and if people don't know what I mean by 'charge', please refer to the journal entries in Chapter 1), and he might show up later. No promises.**

 **And if there are any questions, please let me know! It has been a while since I worked on this fanfic, so I might have forgotten some details...**


	9. Interlude 3

**To make up for my lack of attention, I give you two chapters (specifically, one chapter and an interlude) in one update!**

 **Welcome to another interlude! Last time, Gerald got to Mystic Forest, gave an exposition about it and encountered Ether the Ethiopian Wolf. Gerald seemed to think the wolf was delusional (and who could blame him? What would you think if you were science-minded, had no belief in fantasy and supernatural, and saw a person living in the woods, looking all ragged, just talking to some invisible person?), but there is more to the wolf than meets the eye...**

 **And you'll find out some parts of it, in this interlude! Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

Interlude 3

"...Clean-up? Free of charge? Could you elaborate on that?"

 **"Ah, it is nothing of concern,"** Ether replied breezily. He held up his talisman, allowing Gerald to see it for the first time. The talisman was a circular slab, fitting the palm of the mobian perfectly. Its color was a mix of gold and silver and etched on its surface were strange symbols that were more like incomprehensible scribbles and chicken scratch. And carved in the very center was the shape of a diamond-cut emerald. **"A secret will be shared, a burden shall be lifted. Darkness and dirt, a blight to the mind, be cleansed. Now, be off with you! Return to the wilds where you came from."  
**

To Gerald's immense surprise, the talisman seemed to glow and the heavy feeling in his shoulders lifted. He found himself standing straighter with less burden than before, a change that was small but all-too-noticeable. "What...what did you do?" he asked, staring at Ether intently in curiosity and wariness. From what he heard of mobians, there were a special few that possessed powers. Ether could be one of them...

 **"Again, nothing to be entirely concerned about. Think of it as a free service with no strings attached,"** Ether replied, gold eyes almost mirthful at the human's doubting expression. **"And as I said, it is free, so your favor still stands. Traveler Gerald, would you like to come to ou-, my humble abode? I am curious to know if I could help you with whatever you came here for. No one comes to Mystic Forest unless they had a reason."**

"...I'll accept your offer," Gerald agreed, in hopes of finding out more about just what had happened. While he had heard of mobians and seen them, he had never learned more about them beyond the basics. So this might prove to be a fruitful venture...

Ether seemed too amused as he turned around, smoothly placing the talisman in a pocket of his tunic. Without a word, he headed deeper into the forest, Gerald and his horse following behind.

The Ethiopian wolf led him through the trees, navigating with the ease of a well-traveled resident. Ether chose the easiest paths, allowing Gerald and his horse to travel unhindered. From behind, Gerald observed the wolf, noting how Ether would pause and stare at a spot for some time before shaking his head and waving off something.

There were times when his hand would slip into his pocket, reaching for the talisman. Mostly, he never took it out, but there was a memorable moment when Ether snarled and aggressively pulled out the talisman. This time, Gerald could hear something like a shriek as a fierce wind blew by. It was all too bizarre, and in a way, Gerald could understand where the stories came from. If this was what the travelers encountered, it was no surprise they would assume supernatural forces rather than finding a logical explanation.

The journey soon came to a stop as Ether led Gerald all the way to another one of the huge trees of Mystic Forest. **"Welcome, to my home,"** Ether introduced with a lavish gesture at the tree, gold eyes glimmering as they stared at Gerald. The lord had to take a second look to see what Ether was referring to. Hidden by leaves and greenery, there were holes lining the tree trunk, large enough to function as a window or even a door, considering the mobian's smaller size. It was essentially a tree house, though very much blended with the rest of the natural world.

 **"Now, if you will ex** cuse me," Ether said as he turned back towards the tree. "I'm afraid my tree house is built with mobians in mind, not humans, so it will be a tight squeeze...but I think you will find yourself comfortable." He approached one of the bushes that disguised an entrance and pulled it away, revealing a rounded-rectangular hole just big enough to fit Gerald. "Now, please make yourself at home. I'll take care of your horse for you."

Ether turned back to face Gerald and the human noted in shock that the vivid gold of his eyes had been replaced by a bright electric blue. Something about Ether's demeanor seemed different as well. It was a subtle change, and Gerald decisively dismissed it. Perhaps it was just his imagination acting up... And the eye-color-change could be attributed to Ether's use of his abilities.

Little did he know that his conclusion was not quite on spot...

As Gerald carefully maneuvered himself into the tree house, he found himself pleasantly surprised. The circumference of the tree was quite large, so the room carved inside was very spacious. The atmosphere just felt...airy, and sunlight filtered into the room through strategically-placed openings in the leafy cover that camouflaged the windows and doors.

Furniture was very simplistic; tree stumps and smoothed out rocks with animal skins covering their surfaces acted as chairs and tables. Personality could be seen in the numerous nature-themed decorations, from the feathery ornaments and hand-carved beads hanging everywhere. A wind chime made of bones, feathers and stone-carved beads clinked and jangled merrily whenever a breeze blew by, which was surprisingly often. In addition, there were paintings and murals on the sanded walls.

"Well, I hope you don't mind the rustic look."

Ether's voice snapped him out of his observations. Looking over his shoulder, he spotted the wolf slipping in from a smaller opening. "When you live in Mystic Forest, you make do with what you have," he explained with lighthearted humor. "Well now, I must ask, why are you here?"

"...I am here to study the biodiversity of Mystic Forest, seeing as it is the only forest in the human kingdom," Gerald replied. It was a truth (though not the real answer to the question), but the amused look in Ether's eyes made it seem as if he was accepting the answer just to humor Gerald.

"For a human, you seem to attract spirits quite a bit," Ether commented casually before continuing, "If that is the case, I know about Mystic Forest like the back of my hand...and my map of course. Wait for a moment." With that said, the wolf hopped onto a rock set in the very middle of the room and jumped upwards, bringing Gerald's attention to the ceiling where there was actually another level in the tree house. Ether pulled himself over the edge and for a brief seconds, he could faintly hear the sounds of rummaging before Ether jumped back down, a large rolled-up green object in his hands.

"Well, I have explored most of Mystic Forest," Ether amended as he spread the object out on a rock table, revealing that it was a map made out of several leaves stuck together. Black ink provided a detailed bird's eye view of the forest, along with symbolic labels. "Now, I have no knowledge on how to read or write, so you'll have to excuse the labels."

"Quite alright," Gerald assured Ether, pleased by the map. "This is more than enough." With that, Ether rolled up the map and handed it over to Gerald. The lord took it gratefully, but after doing so, he continued, "However, would you be so kind as to answer some questions? I am admittedly curious about your presence here in the forest as well. You see, in the human kingdom, our king has deemed it against the law to enter Mystic Forest, or even the five-mile radius around it."

"The king fears wh **at he doesn't understand,"** Ether sighed, his briefly-closed eyes hiding the change from blue to gold, not that it escaped Gerald's attention. **"Those laws were put into place, not to protect Mystic Forest, but the humans from Mystic Forest. And yet, humans still enter and pass through...though whether they were unharmed or not depends."**

"Is this forest dangerous?"

 **"Only to those who provoked nature, which is an all-too-easy task with how fickle it can be,"** Ether replied with a snort. He sat down on one of the wooden chairs, gesturing for Gerald to do the same. In the end, a table had to be used since all the seats were too small. **"Tell me Gerald. Are you a man with an open mind?"**

"...I believe in what my senses can perceive," Gerald replied truthfully, his mind already starting to jump to conclusions, albeit well-thought-out conclusions. The stories, the rumors, the sole inhabitant of Mystic Forest possibly possessing some sort of power and showing signs of believing in the supernatural... He could only hope that he would come out of this unscathed should Ether turn his powers against a defenseless Gerald.

 **"Hmm, in that case..."** Ether turned to the wind chime, waiting until it clinked. **"Ah, hello there,"** he greeted, his hand slipping into his pocket and pulling out another talisman. This time, it was tiny, only the size of a dime and as such, Gerald couldn't see if there were any engravings or such as the previous talisman. **"A favor for a favor. This talisman for the Sight to be granted to this mortal."**

"What are you doing?" Gerald asked warily. That wariness changed to surprise when the talisman started floating. It spun around, as if someone else was holding it and observing everything about it. Then, the talisman suddenly vanished into thin air and a light seemed to flash in Gerald's vision, temporarily blinding him.

When his sight returned, he could not hold back a flabbergasted expression at the giggling being floating next to Ether where once there had been empty space. The spirit was a pale blue color, looking like a squid with three tentacles and a single large eye peering curiously at him. "What...what is...?!"

 **"A Chaos God,"** Ether replied, enjoying the even more shocked expression on Gerald's face. **"Oh, they are not the type of gods you humans worship. No, they are beings of Chaos. They spread Chaos Energy around the world. In some ways, they are quite helpful, such as accepting favors in return for something. I offered it a talisman in exchange for offering you the Sight."**

The Chaos God giggled and chirped, babbling incomprehensibly as it flew around the still-stunned Gerald.

 **"And of course, there are the more mischievous Gods that spread disasters and disorder through the world."**

As if to prove Ether's point, the Chaos God tried to grab at Gerald's bag, tugging harshly until Gerald decided to pull the bag away from its tentacles. The Chaos God just giggled even harder though. **"Oh hush. Leave our guest alone,"** Ether huffed, swatting his hand at the Chaos God. The spirit playfully copied Ether's huff, but it moved away.

 **"Well, then, with that first introduction, I should say, welcome to the world of the supernatural..."**

* * *

 **Now, here's another hint; the eye-color-change from GOLD to blue, and no, it's not hetero-chromatic. There are also other little hints. Hopefully, someone can figure it out. If you can't...you'll just have to wait for the next interlude (or the next chapter).**

 **Also, can anyone guess what Ether did with the talisman and what truly happened? Gerald seemed to think Ether was just delusional, he is proven very wrong...**


	10. Chapter 7

**Sorry this is late. The reason why? Well...**

 **CHECK OUT MY BRAND NEW STORY COVERS! I spent the entire time drawing them (and getting my hands cramped), and I'm so proud of them... Though the cover for Where the Wind Blows will take some time to get right. I have an idea, and drawing it will take some more planning...**

 **Another thing: I've been thinking of cross-posting my stories over at Archive of Our Own (AO3). I made an account there so that I can comment on some stories that only allow members to comment, so while I have an account there, do you think I should cross-post? Just curious to here what your thoughts are.**

 **Review responses!**

 **Mitha Sentro: Ether didn't 'get' the Chaos God. This line here - 'turned to the wind chime, waiting until it clinked' - is to show that Ether was looking at the wind chime and when it clinked, it was because of the Chaos God brushing against it and announcing its presence. Ether didn't call or summon the Chaos God; he was waiting for it to come to him. As for your second question, I'm confused. Gerald isn't assisting Ether in any way; it is more of - Gerald helps Ether get his talisman back, Ether is grateful and thus is helping Gerald in return.**

 **Now, on with the sho-, I mean, the chapter!**

* * *

Chapter 7

The journey to Emerald Bay would be a day to be remembered for everyone, both mortal and supernatural. Like a migrating herd, countless rivers of caravans of all shapes and sizes came flowing to the south on both sides of the continent. There were various non-mobians pulling the canvas-covered wagons, ranging from horses and bulls to cows and even yaks, llamas and camels, and even huskies and wolves at one point. It was a sign that showed just how widespread the news had gotten, enough to spread to the far corners of the continent where there were deserts and tundra.

And hidden from mortals' sight, the spirits in their elemental forms were on the same journey, all gathered together in just as big of a procession as the mortals. If one were to have a sense for the energies of the world, they would be overwhelmed by the immense gathering of Chaos, Life and Gaia Energies, all swirling together and flowing southwards like a huge river. Completing this sight would be the enormous group of Chaos Gods in the air, riding a cloud of pale-gold Chaos as they travelled to Emerald Bay.

There was an air of excitement, confusion and tension amongst those on the ground. The spirits were both excited and wary; the Chaos Festival was a special event that happened irregularly, so this might be their once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see it. But why were the mortals heading in the same direction? Surely they had no idea about the Chaos Festival. Of course, it must be one of their mortal events, perhaps something to do with their rulers?

And of course, there was also the group of Chaos Gods to consider. The sighting of such a large group sent alarm bells ringing, and the way they were all moving purposely in the same direction... It made the spirits wonder just what this Chaos Festival would mean for everyone involved...

The mortals were in the same state; wary, confused but also excited and curious. There had been a terrible lack of information, and even as the mouth passed the word, none knew of the real reason behind this event. There were guesses, ranging from the king making up another event to bolster his status to this being one of the madman's schemes...though they had no idea what the reason behind this scheme (let alone what the scheme) was.

And just as there was tension in the unknown of what lied ahead, there was also tension between the passengers of the caravan. Such an example would be the caravan that Riley and the rest were riding. As it had for the past day, a stiff silence reigned among the mobians. The kids were not keen on making conversation, not to their mobian escorts or even to each other with someone possibly listening in, and the only ones who were willing to weren't making the first move either.

It was only on this second day that the silence broke.

"...So, what's your name?"

The very awkward question was coming from one of the mobians riding in the caravan. He was a yellow-furred flying squirrel, one of the mobian escorts from the human capital, as it could be seen to Riley and the rest by the royal crest sewn on his tunic.

The flying squirrel had a nervous smile on his face, accompanying an expression of curiosity and genuine friendliness. However, most of the mobian kids remained quiet, as it was their reaction to strangers, even mobians and especially those from the human capital. In fact, most of them were pressed close to the very back of the caravan, as far as possible from the two mobian escorts sitting at the last seats closest to the opening. The only ones of the group seated even remotely close to the two escorts were Riley, Cody and Faline.

Riley watched from his spot next to the second escort, calm eyes a comforting weight on the nervous Faline to who the question was directed at. Nervous blue eyes met his brown before nodding softly to herself and turning to the squirrel. In a quiet voice, rather unlike the loud attitude she showed around Cody, Faline replied, "Faline...Faline the cat, American Shorthair."

"And I'm Cody the dog, Chinese Crested," Cody added, pressing closer to Faline and looking over her shoulder at the squirrel in a wary gaze. "Who are you?" he demanded.

"Cody, don't be rude now," Riley chided, bringing the three mobians' attention to him (as well as everyone's, since Riley could almost literally feel the weight of their gazes as they had been watching ever since the squirrel first spoke). "I'm Riley by the way, Red Dog or Dhole, if you prefer that. And you are?"

"I-I'm Ray! Ray the flying squirrel!" Ray introduced, smile turning less nervous and more open at the friendlier reception he received from some members of the quiet group.

"And I'm his friend, Mighty, armadillo," the second mobian escort spoke up with a friendly grin on his face. "Great to hear your voices for a change," he added teasingly.

Riley shrugged. "We prefer keeping to ourselves," he explained. "You seem like the silent type yourself."

"Somewhat," Mighty replied, his grin dimming to an amused smile. "First time travelling outside your village?"

"Yes," Riley nodded, tilting his head slightly. It brought his eyes in contact with the sunlight and made them flash gold. The moment was quick to pass though and Riley leaned back, closing his eyes. "Though I am quite **curious. Just what is this event that the king has proclaimed** , enough to spread its word throughout the entire continent?"

Mighty blinked, and the mobians did not miss the look Ray shot at the armadillo. "Well," Mighty began, clearing his throat as he did. "I assume it is some sort of a party. Maybe a proclamation, since the ma-, I mean, Doctor Eggman is involved as well, and he has a perchance of being quite...extravagant."

The Red Dog mobian hummed thoughtfully while Cody took over the conversation. "Doctor Eggman...his infamy is well-known, even in our village. He is of a noble house though, which is probably the only reason why he can pull it off."

"T-T-True. The last living Kintobor…" Ray murmured.

Unknown to the others, Riley's eyes flashed gold, only it wasn't because of the sun.

Keeping his eyes closed, Riley asked, "Kintobor… Related perhaps to **Gerald Kintobor?"**

"Yes. Gerald is, in fact, his grandfather," Mighty replied, taking no note of Riley's suddenly stiff posture. "It is a well-known fact that Gerald was a great scientist back in his days, and his fame as a scientist is only rivaled by his infamous rebellious nature. Not even the king can get him to obey, and some say that it was in fact Gerald who was the power behind the throne."

Everyone was so enraptured by the story, that Riley's strangely intense attentiveness went unnoticed.

"No one knows what happened though," Ray added. "One day they were there, the next, they were gone. Their mansion abandoned, no signs of the Kintobors or their staff and servants. Many had speculated, and...there were also rumors of course."

"What **rumors?"** Riley asked, and despite his closed eyes, Ray could feel the weight behind the question urging him to answer.

Silently gulping, Ray stuttered, "T-That the h-h-human g-government had something to d-d-do with their disappearance..."

Most mobians withdrew from the topic at that, but Riley frowned deeply. It was not well-known knowledge, nor was it intended a secret, but their village leader was once a part of this human government. Mr. Stone was once an agent and also a Captain of the royal Guard, but five years ago, he retired and became a leader of their village, and his friend and right-hand woman Topaz became Captain to succeed him. But other than that, plus the odd rumor or news here and there, none of the mobians (except maybe Mighty and Ray) knew much of the human government.

 _'It's probably **better that way.'** _

"I see," Riley hummed a bit belatedly once he noticed that the silence had stretched on.

"What's got you so interested in the Kintobor family anyway?" Cody spoke up, drawing attention to the two canines. The Chinese Crested dog's dark grey eyes met Riley's lighter brown, and the Dhole tilted his head, the light making them flash gold.

"It is **merely** to **start** **a conversation, plus my own curiosity,"** Riley replied, and despite the relatively-polite words, only a fool would not hear the firm tone that warned not to pursue the topic further. Cody winced lightly, but he nodded and averted his eyes.

With Cody now quieter, the conversation simmered down, leaving Riley to his own thoughts as he wondered just where did the knowledge about Kintobor and the sense of familiarity with that name (and the person itself) came from.

* * *

The arrival was even more chaotic than the journey itself. There were so many caravans, wagons, sleds and other forms of transport that it was almost impossible to find space for all of them. But it seemed Doctor Eggman had planned for that; there was a huge space reserved for parking, but only for those who couldn't afford to send their caravans back. Those who could were insisted on doing so to leave space for others. And even then, it was a hassle and a half.

After the space issue was solved, there was the food and care issue for the non-mobians. There were so many varieties of food needed (meat for the polar bears, huskies and wolves, grass and other vegetation for the others and of course, carrots, corn and other vegetables for the 'highly-bred horses that should not eat anything less than the finest' - some nobles (both humans and mobians) were quite uptight about it), and even with most caravans sent home for the event, there were still many more to wash, clean and maintain. Thankfully, Doctor Eggman and King Michael had enough servants combined to tend to all of their needs.

Now, all the passengers were in the expansive courtyard in front of the royal villa (which could almost double as another castle with how big and grand it was). There was a clear divide between the humans and mobians, and not a small amount of looks and glares sent between the two groups. Riley and his friends found themselves being pushed over to the mobians by the humans (and pulled over by the mobians themselves) and being fussed over, much to their surprise.

"Dear me, look at the state of your clothes!" a rather lady-like cat bemoaned, staring in pity at their not-so-glamourous clothes. "What have those overlanders been doing?!"

"And so young too..." a wolf murmured, kind fatherly eyes taking in the group. "Where are your parents?"

"Have you been eating scraps?! Just look at your thin bodies! Don't worry dears, we'll get you fed up right away!"

That and so many more... It was honestly overwhelming to the rest. Thankfully, before any of the kids starting bolting, there was the sound of trumpets that captured everyone's attention. All heads turned to the front, where the royalties of both kingdoms were gathered.

A human unrolled a scroll, and proclaimed loudly, "Presenting the 7th King, ruler of the West Nation, King Michael Renacido!"

As the crowd, mostly those from the human kingdom, applauded, King Michael stepped forward, a man in his forties and dressed in royal regalia. A crown of pure gold enlaid with rubies and sapphires rested on his head, and by the stern yet welcoming expression on his face, he looked every bit of a king. But for some reason, Riley couldn't help but think of that expression as a mask. Mr. Stone's expression felt more regal and **real,** despite standing far from the center.

Riley shook his head. It might just be a case of farvoritism on his end.

Next to the king, on the left, were nobles from the oldest houses. And on the other side had many more mobians since there were more clans in their kingdom. A coyote dressed rather extravagantly in an admiral's uniform stepped forward, clearing his throat.

"Presenting our most benovelant rulers of the Mobius lands, King Maximillian Acorn and Queen Alicia Acorn of the Acorn Kingdom, and Queen Aleena Hedgehog of Mobotropolis, and the royal heirs, Prince Elias and Princess Sally of Acorn."

This time, it was the mobians who applauded the loudest, thankfully covering any booing coming from the bolder and more prejudiced humans. King Maximillian Acorn and his family were all squirrel-chipmunk hybrids, and they looked like the picture perfect royal family. Riley appreciated their postures and expressions; protective and loving towards their people and not exactly the same, but still tolerant and fair towards the humans.

Compared to the family, almost in a complete contrast, Queen Aleena stood alone. Like a single hero facing against an army on the battlefield, Riley thought. But the queen did not falter at all, standing tall and proud despite others' opinions, whether they be positive, neutral or completely negative. And she was quite loved as well, going by how the mobians were cheering for her.

Once the applause died down, there was one last person to be introduced.

"Presenting the host of this event, the great, the esteemed, the excellent, and the most prestigious, Iv- *cough* Doctor Eggman!"

"Ohohohoho!"

The rather strange laugh could not be ignored, in Riley's opinion, as a human that had the appearance of a stranger, yet familiar and younger, stepped forward amongst the nobles. Without regard for the royal families at all, the (in)famous Doctor Eggman took over the introduction ceremony.

"Welcome, everyone, to my special event! I'm so glad you could all make it! Now, I'm sure you are all curious to what this event is all about, including you, your majesties!" The last part was punctuated by a rather mocking bow, much to the stern frowns of the royals. But they said nothing, and Doctor Eggman continued.

"Unfortunately, until the event occurs, I'm afraid I cannot say anything! But don't you worry one bit! Until the night of March 20, feel free to relax for the day! I'm sure you're all tired from your journey." The man snapped his fingers, and in marched those stone-faced non-humans that had all the mobians stiff and tensed (either openly or not). "My men will guide you to your rooms. I hope you'll enjoy your stay! It...is bound to be quite...mind-blowing."

Riley slapped his hands over his face in order to keep a snarl quiet. Something about the tone in that last sentence had sent so many red flags up in his head. _'What is going ON WITH ME?! WHY do I keep on having these strange feelings and thoughts?!'_ he wondered, almost full-blown panicking were it not for the same strange (perceived) feeling of calm that kept him under control and sent his panic up further at the same time.

Unbidden, one hand dropped down to clasp something hanging from his neck; a pendant. Too distracted by his thoughts, he did not see the pendant glow.

But there was someone else who noticed it...

Hetero-chromatic eyes of blue and gold widened before the male let out a triumphant laugh. **"This feeling! It's _him_! The Guardian is here..."**

* * *

 **Well, they have arrived!**

 **And it seemed as if the cat is out of the bag... I will not say it outright though. You'll have to do it for me (in case there are others who hadn't figured it out yet). But still, I hope it was obvious yet subtle enough (no matter how oxymoronic it is).**

 **This chapter concludes the mortals' side of the arrival, and the next will be of the supernatural! Hope to see you all there.**


	11. Chapter 8

**And here we are with another chapter! As mentioned last time, this will be from the supernatural's side of the story. We're going to see how the spirits interact with each other on this wonderful occasion! And here are some magic words for you guys to decipher! XD.**

 **Etinifni si evif retpac morf yug ohcnop eht dna ybur eht naidraug eht si yelir, iyf, oslA.**

 **Review responses!**

 **LatiasEevee: Thank you so much for your review! Oh, I'm just wriggling in my seat now, trying not to blurt out and give anything away! I'm glad you like the fanfic! And yeah, I mean, I made a mistake in Chapter 5 when I referred to Infinite as a man, but he's definitely Infinite! And as for Aleena, notice how I didn't put in anything about the Sonic Underground siblings? That's (honestly) because I haven't figured out exactly what to do. I have an idea, but it's foggy as heck. And as for Shadow, his story is actually the Interludes. That's going to be about him. So by the time the Interludes end, we'll be finished with the Chaos Festival Arc and go right into Shadow Arc. Hope that isn't too much of a spoiler.**

 **And don't worry about your ideas! In fact, I would love to hear them. It'll give me an idea of what other readers are thinking. Don't worry; I swear not to pull any strange plot twists just to prove your ideas wrong; I already have a skeleton of the plot already. Just wanna discuss the ideas over with you, if that's alright!**

 **Now, on with the chapter!**

* * *

Chapter 8

By the time everyone had settled in, it was already night. Too tired from the journey and just generally the entire day of exploring the place, it was not a surprise that the young mobians quickly fell asleep. Their room was fairly small compared to the other rooms, but compared to their shack, it might as well be a master suite, complete with a single large bed. Others hadn't wanted the room because there was only one bed, so the mobians got it. They didn't mind; it was more comforting for them to sleep in the same bed with those they saw as family.

The bedside clock ticked quietly, the hands showing that it was well past midnight. Gold eyes holding an ethereal glow watched the hands, and the almost-full moon that could be seen through the window. They darted back down to the young mobians curled up next to their owner, and the Guardian breathed out quietly. **_'I better be going now,'_** he thought. ** _'The spirits would have already started gathering, and the Master Emerald's Guardian is sure to be preparing as well... While I certainly do not plan on revealing my presence, I am curious... After all, the signs are there. This is the Festival that will surely herald_** **his** ** _return.'_**

The Guardian's mind drifted back to the past at the thoughts. He remembered, long, long ago, back when he was with his current host's predecessor. Thanks to the human, Gerald Kintobor, and the Chaos Gods, he had met _him_ back then, one of the very lucky few to know of _his_ existence. He also knew of the Invasion, and how _he_ disappeared afterwards, causing the God Chaos to choose the mountain spirit as a temporary Guardian in _his_ stead.

Several years had passed since then, and now, the Chaos Gods sung once more. They sung of _his_ return. And the Seven Chaos Emeralds had gathered.

 ** _'This will be a Festival to remember.'_**

With that, the Guardian carefully maneuvered out of the bed, moving as silent as possible to avoid waking his host's (and by extension, his) charges. Sure, they were not his real charges, but it was the nature of a spirit to see those under their wings as their charges. His gold eyes took one last look at the (almost literal) puppy pile before sneaking out of the room. The door closed quietly with only a faint creak, and the Guardian padded down the hallways on bare feet.

He had just disappeared around the corner before another was in the hallway.

Heterochromatic eyes darted around the darkened corridor. A gloved hand moved out from within the folds of his poncho and he briefly closed his eyes, trying to feel for the Guardian's presence. A huff of irritation escaped him when he could not sense it anymore. **_'The Guardian has hidden himself this time... Which makes it surprising, considering how he just nearly revealed himself entirely in the morning, during the ceremony. Perhaps he had been in conflict with his host back then.'_** He opened his eyes once more and dropped his hand. **_'No matter. I know his general location. It is just a matter of time before I find him again. He is bound to slip up with his host. It is only a matter of time...'_**

He was not exactly a patient person, but there was nothing more he could do. As such, he turned away from the corridor, ready to head out. The night was still young, and there were spirits to observe. **_'Who knows? The Guardian might just be there.'_**

With that highly-anticipated thought in mind, he disappeared into the shadows.

* * *

Outside, while the mortals were asleep, the spirits were celebrating.

Under the light of the near-full moon, several spirits had taken on their mortal forms, indulging in mortal pleasures as they pleased. On the beach, far from the humans, there was no fear of being seen. And even if that were the case, there were several spirits with mind powers on hand. Just a little tweak, and it would be as if they were never there in the first place. As such, the spirits were certainly pulling out all possible stops on celebrating to the fullest.

Spirits of nature grew out plants in the more fertile areas, harvesting quickly-ripening grapes to turn into wine, and other manners of fruits and vegetables to feast upon. The animal spirits had brought in the meat, stolen from the humans (a certain two-tailed kitsune was amongst this group, and he was proudly carrying a rather large and fat hen). A manner of spirits with different abilities was providing the music and singing joyously, to which others were dancing to. A very lively ambience was in the air, and everyone rejoiced.

 _"This is most glorious!"_ the rose laughed as she sipped her wine. Over the rim of her cup, her leaf-green eyes scanned the crowd. _"I do wonder where the others have gone... I have not seen the snow anywhere!"_ Feeling slightly concerned and a bit lonely at being all by herself, she placed her cup down and started wandering through the crowd in search of a familiar face.

It did not take very long before she spotted one such face. _"Spring!"_ she called out, just soft enough to draw the Season's attention and no one else. The rose was quick to hurry towards the young rabbit, and quicker to draw her away from the large crowd. _"What are you doing here? I thought you were supposed to be with Mother Nature and your fellow Seasons."_

 _"I came looking for you,"_ Spring replied softly, her flowers blooming into hellebores (anxiety), garlic flowers (courage, strength) and oleanders (caution). _"We need to go to Mother and the Seasons, to greet the other Guardians of the Gods. They'll be coming to oversee this Chaos Festival, so we should be there to greet them."_

The rose frowned, but she did not dawdle and followed Spring, keeping her voice low to talk to Spring. _"Why this festival? The other Guardians never interfered with the Chaos Festival, not when it is clearly out of their jurisdiction. Why come to a Festival clearly worshipping a God they are not supposed to?"_

 _"Everything about this Chaos Festival is strange, unique, not like others,"_ Spring sighed. _"Either way, perhaps these Guardians will have the answers. Now, let us make haste. They will be late, but that does not mean we should be."_

* * *

Somewhere else far away from all the celebrations taking place, Mother Nature, three of her Seasons, the mountain guardian and the shaman had gathered together. In their mortal forms (with the shaman being the exception of course, as she was still mortal), they waited out on the beach for the rest of the guardians to arrive. It was not long before they were joined by Spring and the rose, the former taking her place next to Summer and the latter drawing back, to where the snow and the wind were watching the silent spirits (and shaman).

 _"So this is where you two were,"_ the rose spirit commented quietly as she stood next to the snow. _"How long have they been waiting?"_

 _"Not too long,"_ the snow replied, drawing herself up. The wind whistled in agreement, before hovering closer to its two fellow spirits.

 _"Do you know who else is to arrive?"_ it asked the snow quietly.

 _"The Guardians and the shaman of Solaris,"_ the snow replied, her ears faintly twitching in irritation at a thought. _"They usually go in guise among the mortals, which is probably why they are late, since they would have to deal with their mortal affairs first before coming... And last I heard, their mortal affairs are-."_

 _"Here they come,"_ Winter spoke up, cutting the snow off from finishing. All attention was drawn to the east, from where they could see a growing flame in the distance. As it drew closer, they could see it, an enormous cat made entirely of flames sprinting towards the beach. The fire construct landed in the waves with a hiss as its heat evaporated the water. Steam rose up like a screen, hiding the cat entirely, yet they could see the shadow as it shrunk.

By the time the steam had faded away, a purple-furred cat mobian and a silver-furred hedgehog were stepping onto the beach, completely dry. Both looked like ordinary mobians, but that was certainly not the case.

Gold locked with gold, and the two bowed respectfully towards the spirits, the guardian and the shaman. The others reciprocated, and Mother Nature spoke. _"Welcome, Guardian of the Sol Emeralds and Emissaries of Solaris."_

 _"We_ are _welcomed_ to _be_ here, _Mother_ Nature. _And_ greetings _to_ the _Seasons,_ Guardian _of_ the _Master_ Emerald _and_ Emissaries _of_ Chaos, _"_ the two spoke in unison, the voice of a spirit and a mortal blending together. The spirit, the cat, strode over to the mountain guardian, regal and confident in her posture. The two Guardians faced each other and bowed, while the mortal, the hedgehog, did the same with Tikal the shaman.

With the pleasantries done and witnessed (by the snow (Winter's charge), the rose (Spring's charge) and the wind), the three aforementioned spirits were dismissed back to the celebrations while Mother Nature, the Seasons, the Guardians and the shamans gathered for their discussion. When the three spirits were out of earshot, the spirit cat spoke up, _"I understand that this was quite sudden, our request to attend the Chaos Festival. But we are here on the behest of Solaris. He spoke to Shaman Silver, and told us this."_

The silver hedgehog, Silver, took over. "The Seven has gathered for this Chaos Festival, and the Chaos Gods sing once more. Their Mother rejoices, and Chaos himself knows. _He_ will return, and with this Festival, everything will be righted once more. But I (Solaris) foresee a storm on the horizon. One centered around _him..._ And curious, even more curious! But such matters I will not disclose to you; it is up to that earthbound spirit to decide, and its matters will not interfere. Now go, my shaman and Guardian. You will be witnesses to this event. This is what he has told me," the hedgehog recounted word by word. "As you can see, it is just a tad short of being a prophecy, yet its tones, we are wary."

 _"It is understandable to be wary of a storm,"_ Mother Nature hummed. _"But I have confidence that our presence there will be enough to stave it off. We will weather this storm, and we will see that_ his _return goes without interference. It will be good to have_ him _back."_

 _"All too true. But what I worry about is this supposed 'matters' Solaris spoke of,"_ Winter spoke. _"An earthbound spirit?"_

 _"We should not concern ourselves with this earthbound spirit, if Solaris wished we do not,"_ the fire cat replied sternly. _"Solaris may not be a benevolent god, but he does not lie, especially in areas out of his jurisdiction. If he said its matters will not interfere, they will not. Rather, I believe it more prudent to concern ourselves with_ his _arrival, and how this storm will affect us."_

Summer roared in laughter. _"It is quite like_ him, _to finally return in a rather dramatic way."_

 _"If I may interrupt,"_ the mountain spoke up, drawing the others' attention. _"Just who is this..._ he _you all are referring to?"_

 _"No one knows_ his _name, and it is not safe for us to talk of_ him," Winter replied, his voice harsh and cold as the bitterest months of his reign.

 _"Now do not be so harsh with him Winter!"_ Summer chided, turning calm eyes to the confused mountain. _"You have no need to fear_ him. He _is an ally, and a rather benevolent one. In fact,_ his _return is good news! The only thing we will have to worry about is this storm. Shamans, have you seen anything more about this storm?"_

"Chaos has no jurisdiction over time," Tikal murmured softly. "I am afraid we do not know more than what Silver has told us."

"And I know no more than what Solaris permits me to know," Silver added, clenching his gloved hands in frustration. "I do wish he told us more…"

 _"But he did not, and we must not falter in the face of this fact, Shaman Silver,"_ the cat told Silver firmly, before turning to the Seasons and Mother Nature. _"If we may be so bold, while Solaris may not have told us to help you, merely witness what happens, he did not forbid us of helping you. As such, we would like to offer our assistance in the facing of this storm."_

 _"You would be most welcomed to do so,"_ Mother Nature accepted with a smile. _"Now that that has settled, would you like to join the celebrations? Or perhaps would you like to witness the preparations?"_

Silver shifted nervously on his feet, glancing at the fire spirit. Truthfully, he did not want to join the celebrations or be alone by himself (he may not exactly be alone, but he had never met these strangers before, and as such, he wished to stick with familiarity in the fire spirit). He did not do well with crowds, either mortal or supernatural. As such, he hoped that the spirit would take the latter offer.

The cat did not seem to take notice (or perhaps she was ignoring the pleading looks Silver was giving her), and instead, she replied, _"As I believe that it would be rude to witness another God's Festival in such a manner, I would like to join the celebrations instead. Of course, if Shaman Silver would like to interact with his fellow shaman, it is quite alright if he remains with you?"_

"Um, I'll go with Blaze!" Silver squeaked at that, not wanting to be alone.

The fire spirit, Blaze, inwardly sighed at her friends lack of confidence, but the others seemed only amused. _"Very well. Autumn will lead you to the celebrations."_

The bee mobian wiggled impatiently, and once he received a look from Mother Nature, he breathed out loudly and started chattering. _"Ah, it is great to be allowed to talk again! Come on, come on, come on! You'll love the celebrations! There'll be food, drink and music and dancing! You should taste the wine; the spirits make it from the freshest grapes, grown by them of course! And the food! Have I mentioned the food? You'll love it!"_

And with that, Blaze and Silver were left to Autumn's tender mercy as they were almost dragged away by the energetic and definitely hyperactive bee.

* * *

The Guardian sighed as the fire spirit and the hedgehog shaman left. He closed his gold eyes in contemplation, having overheard the prophecy. In thought, his fingers went to the talisman that was keeping his presence hidden from the others, absent-mindedly flicking it like one would do a coin. **_'A storm...This worries me,'_** he thought quietly. _**'And those**_ **matters** ** _concerning an_** **earthbound spirit...** ** _no doubt, he was referring to me. I should not have been so optimistic. Of course the Gods would know of the Ruby's existence... It just makes it more prevalent that I protect it more cautiously. I should not use it in this case, not if there is trouble afoot. Better stick to the talismans...'_**

With that, the Guardian stood up. The mountain and the shaman were simply preparing for the Chaos Festival, and there was no need for him to witness it. He turned around and headed back towards the celebration.

As he wandered in the shadows, his eyes were drawn to the merry-making of the spirits. Their lively enthusiasm briefly drew a smile on his face, but he quietly smothered the urge to join them. He had no right to society. He was, after all, an earthbound spirit, neither dead nor alive. He had no right to join in and form attachments (well, he could form attachments, but he would not allow others to form attachments to him. That was just cruel).

A brief pang of pain ached in his chest, and his pendant glowed.

Suddenly, he bumped into someone else.

 _ **"**_ **Oh, I'm sor-."**

 **"I found you..."**

Startled gold eyes locked with triumphant blue and gold, and the Guardian easily recognized the face hidden under that hood.

And a dreadful feeling overcame his senses...

* * *

 **Oh no... WHAT HAVE I DONE?! GUARDIAN, GET OUT OF THERE! NOW!**

* * *

IMPORTANT NOTICE

The next won't be a chapter or an interlude. Instead, I'll be accepting questions from you readers concerning this fanfiction. Anything about the story (although all plot questions that I haven't revealed yet will not be answered), just hand it over! I'll give only a week for this though. If there are no or too little questions by the end of the week, I'll resume with an interlude.

This is your chance to make anything unclear clear, so I hope to hear questions! See you then.


	12. Interlude 4

**TO THOSE WHO ARE SUPER CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS AFTER CHAPTER 8, JUST SKIP THE INTERLUDE! To those who can wait in suspense, feel free to read the interlude. Pick your poison. EXCEPT MITHA SENTRO! YOUR REVIEW RESPONSE IS HERE!**

 **Review responses!**

 **Mitha Sentro: Role the play? Sorry, but this time, it's my turn to be confused by this :D. And your welcome (about the confirmation). Glad I cleared up the confusion. Feel free to ask if there're other things you're confused about. And Sonic? He's busy par-ty-ing! After all, he's the fun one and Knuckles' is the serious one.**

 **And since there are no questions...*disappointed sigh*, let the interlude begin.**

* * *

Interlude 4

 _Dear Journal,_

 _It has been several months since that day - when the strange mobian I met in Mystic Forest, Ether, first revealed to me a whole other world hidden under the mortal realm. I was so shocked. As a man who believes firmly in science, that everything can be explained by science, I was surprised to hear that the myths and legends of the supernatural are true. Of course, not every detail got properly translated, but the general meanings are still the same, and that is enough._

 _As this is essentially a whole new world revealed to me so suddenly, I never expected myself to become so comfortable that I settled into a routine... But I did._

 _Every morning, after I have picked a destination on the map Ether had kindly given me, I would visit him in his rather unique tree house for advice. At first, I simply wished to ask for his opinion, but before I knew it, he ended up becoming my guide. Our excursions mostly take place in the daylight hours, but that is because…_

* * *

"It is **safer** that **way** ," Ether murmured, taking in the map the way a chess master would his chessboard while Gerald watched from the other side of the makeshift table. The wolf hummed, his eyes in that startling equilibrium between blue and gold as he tapped a claw-tipped finger in a strange rhythm. "Yes, **yes,** we will head there **in the seventh hour** of the day, and **that will leave us** plenty of time to **swing by over there** until the twelfth hour, **just in time for lunch."** Gerald nearly jerked in surprise when blue-gold eyes darted up to him. "Will that **be alright?"**

"Ah, yes," Gerald nodded. "I'll take the rest of the day to properly research my findings. Are there any places that...that are safe to go during the night?"

"No," Ether laughed, leaning back in his seat. **"No matter how** cliché it might be **, nowhere in Mystic Forest** is safe to **travel at night.** Spirits are **neither nocturnal** nor diurnal, but **the dark of the night** provides cover, **distorts images** until you **do not know** what is an innocent root **or a trip wire ready to send you** into a noose that will **strangle you..."**

Despite the disturbed look on the human's face, Ether smiled, one full of black humor. "Ah yes, the **night hours** are when spirits **feel bolder.** In the day, it would be harmless **pranks barely toeing the line,** but at night, they **won't be so forgiving..."** Ether stood up and headed to one of the feathery decorations hanging on the walls of the room. He selected one with brilliant fiery feathers and handed it to Gerald.

 **"The phoenix is** a protector of the home, **but only to those who are truthful,** honest **and pure of heart,"** Ether murmured while Gerald held up the decor in the light. The feathers shimmered, as if each strand was made of fire, and a faint warmth emanated from them. **"This phoenix is one** of the more generous ones. **These feathers will protect** any home with **only the blacker ones** being the exceptions."

"Phoenixes are real?" Gerald asked, once he reverently placed down the decor.

"Yes. **So are dragons** and unicorns, and **I will assure you,** while **both are protective,** they are just **as picky as,** or even picker than, **the phoenix,"** Ether huffed as he bustled about the room, packing several objects in a leather bag. "The unicorn will **protect only the purest** of hearts, and some **would even ask that** they be virgins. **Picky ones they are.** And the dragons...well, I should **not have said they were picky.** It is more that **they are not primarily protective** creatures. More possessive, with **their obsession with their hoards.** As such, their protections **are not as strong as a phoenix's** or a unicorn's."

"I see..." Gerald muttered, slightly stunned by the sudden onslaught of information he was given. "Perhaps we should get going?"

Ether's eyes flashed blue, startled as he realized that he nearly went into a lecture. "Ah! You are right!"

* * *

 _These excursions are always full of knowledge, though whether they be important or not is up to debate. Nevertheless, I am quite glad that Ether is sharing this information with me. And once the excursions are over, we would go our separate ways; he to his home and I back to my camp. There are times when he would invite me for lunch with him, and I must say, I never knew simply finding lunch could be this troublesome and exciting._

* * *

 **"There it is..."** Ether's eyes were completely gold and fully predatory as they eyed the strange bird roaming the forest. To Gerald's eyes, it appeared as a normal rooster, though rather big and somehow capable of flight...

 _'Ah, I see it,'_ Gerald thought, noticing that it was not exactly a normal rooster. No, it merely had the head of a rooster. The rest looked reptilian.

 **"A** **cockatrice,"** Ether murmured as the two crept closer. **"A particularly nasty spirit. It has been hunting other animal spirits in the area, and everyone is on edge. It has already claimed several victims."** The roost-, no, cockatrice tilted its head and Ether ducked. Gerald was quick to follow suit. **"It kills by a glance of its eyes, like a basilisk. The worst thing is that spirits had no need to eat; of course, they may indulge in the consumption of food, but it is not necessary to live. So we have several corpses littering Mystic Forest these days."**

"Then why are we here? Shouldn't we be avoiding it?" Gerald murmured, almost hesitant to follow the red-furred mobian.

 **"We're follow it because it will be my lunch."**

Gerald barely held down the urge to shout in shock at Ether's nonchalant words. Thankfully, he managed to bite it back and instead give the wolf an incredulous look that spoke as loudly as the words he swallowed back and was just as effective. Ether noticed the look and gave back a questioning one. **"Why not?"** he asked, shrugging nonchalantly. **"I may not have cockatrice meat before, but I assume it must taste like rooster...or perhaps snake, depending on which part you eat. Either way, this will get rid of two birds with one stone; the cockatrice will not be able to kill any more spirits and I will have my lunch. Now come on. I have a plan."**

Ether glanced at the cockatrice, careful not to make any kind of eye contact, be it direct or accidental. Once he was satisfied that his lunch wouldn't be moving for a while, he turned back to Gerald. **"A cockatrice is a tricky prey; one glance of its eyes, even just a glimpse really, and you will fall dead. As such, it is imperative that we make sure we do not look at its eyes, either by avoiding looking at them or covering them up. In this case, we will do the latter."**

Ether reached into his bag and pulled out a strip of cloth, handing it to Gerald. **"I will bring it down. You will blind fold it for me."**

"...What?"

Ether did not listen to any more protests as he headed to the left. Gerald tried to call him back, but the wolf was already stalking closer towards the rock where the cockatrice was perched, apparently grooming itself. **_'An unfortunate weakness of a cockatrice is, not looking into its reflection, but its vanity. It will spend hours grooming itself, making sure every bit of it is impeccable,'_** Ether thought as he quietly approached closer. The cockatrice was quite vain, enough that it was even in full sunlight, making its rust-colored feathers and scales shine.

No matter. It worked to Ether's advantage.

The cockatrice didn't even see Ether coming, not until the wolf had pushed it off the rock and pinned it tightly to the ground.

 **"Gerald! Now!"**

"Ah-! Right!"

* * *

 _The rest of the day is then spent recording my research, but afterwards, I find myself heading back to Ether's home, and we would have long talks with each other. He seems quite eager to fill in my notebooks with all the information about the supernatural world, and while I may not fully understand the reason behind this generosity, I am nevertheless grateful. It is mostly thanks to him that I am able to learn so much about spirits._

 _Now though, as I said, several months have passed, and it is now time for me to return to my mansion and my dear granddaughter, Maria._

 _The research trip to Mystic Forest has been fruitful. I have discovered such a rich variety of medicinal herbs, even gathering specimens and seeds so that I may grow them. Of course, the origin of these medicines will remain a secret; it is the least I can do for Ether. Hopefully, these medicines will cure the sickness ailing my Maria..._

 _But this is the end of my time in Mystic Forest._

* * *

Gerald paused as he wrote down that sentence. For some reason, saying that tonight was the end...

It felt so...finale.

His eyes drifted over to the phoenix charm Ether gave him. He stared at it, feeling strangely indecisive, before shaking his head. _'I shouldn't dwell upon this departure like this,'_ he told himself. _'Of course, I may not see Ether again...but it isn't the end. Not the way I think it is.'_

Taking another breath, he turned his attention back to the journal and ended it.

* * *

 _I will return to my mansion. I will even open a pharmacy, so that I may spread these wonderful cures. In addition..._

 _I will keep the supernatural world a secret._

 _This I swear._

* * *

"Ah..."

The sigh seemed to echo in the empty tree house. Blue eyes drifted close as Ether leaned back in his makeshift chair. "It is strange... It has been a week, and I still notice Gerald's absence all too well. Perhaps I have gotten attached."

 _ **"Of course you have, Ether,"**_ a voice spoke up in his mind, unheard to all except the wolf. _**"It is natural for one to form such attachments... And even now, despite the years that have passed, I still miss my old hosts."**_

"Ah," Ether sighed, sympathizing with his friend. "It is always hard seeing those you care about pass away..."

 _ **"And even harder to bear with when you know that you cannot join them in the dead..."**_

Ether growled at that, grasping the pendant hanging around his neck. It was made of bone, carved into the shape of an octagon with symbols etched along its sides. A hole was drilled through in the very middle, through which a hoop (also made of the same bone as the pendant) kept it strung on the string made of red fur. The red fur looked patched together as well, as if the strands used came from different individuals.

"That cursed ruby..." Ether muttered. "Is there really no way for you to escape its curse?"

 _ **"Not as far as I know... I might be its Guardian for eternity at this rate."**_

Ether sighed, feeling the depression leaking out of the spirit that was residing in him. "...When will you check up on the ruby?"

 _ **"Tomorrow."**_

"Alright then."

* * *

 **Sorry the interlude is short! But I think the last part should tell you something, right? I'll see you in Chapter nine!**


	13. Chapter 9

**Here! Double update! So that those who are waiting in suspense won't have their feelings be let down.**

 **Hope you'll enjoy it!**

* * *

Chapter 9

It was just a matter of who was faster that would make all the difference.

And unfortunately for the Guardian, his host's reflexes were not up to par with the other.

In a second, the Guardian was pinned down on his back. Gold eyes lost their surprised look and were filled with fury as they glared up at the smirking face above. He tried to move his hands, but once more, he was too slow as his hands also got pinned above his head, followed by his legs under the other's weight. **"I will not say it again. Let. Go. Of. Me, Infinite..."** the Guardian hissed, needing to vent out his anger in words despite knowing the futility of his bluff.

 **"So nice to see that you haven't forgotten me after all these years, Guardian of the Phantom Ruby. Or should I call you by your name, Gadget?"** Infinite chuckled, squeezing the other's wrists until he heard a gasp of pain that made his sadistic side purr. **"Now, I rather not waste any time on pleasantries, so I'll be straightforward."** The slight air of amusement from Infinite quickly vanished, replaced by killing intent. His dual-colored eyes glared down at Gadget. **"Where is the Phantom Ruby?"**

 **"Of course I should have known you would still be obsessed with it. I supposed just one taste is enough to get you addicted,"** Gadget commented venomously. **"And what makes you think I will hand over the Phantom Ruby to you? After all, it responds ONLY to the person who triggered it."**

 **"And I DID trigger it, or have you really forgotten?"** Infinite laughed, though the killing intent that still remained made it sound anything but amused. **"The wonderful sight of the world in ruins..."**

 **"A sight that will never become a reality!"** Gadget retorted. **"You do not even know the first thing about how the ruby works. What makes you think that just because you triggered it, that it will obey your commands?"**

 **"Is that not how it works?"** Infinite asked, eyes narrowed.

 **"No, and that is all I will say on the matter. So let go of me, now!"**

Gadget knew he was risking everything with this move. It would reveal to Infinite where the Phantom Ruby was for one thing (though if Lady Luck was smiling upon him, that might not come to pass at all). But if he managed to get this _one_ hit on the jackal, it would be a complete win for him. _**'And to tie this loose end up, I will leave him to the mercy of the skeleton guards. It will be poetic; the ruby's hiding place will be Infinite's prison,'**_ he thought grimly.

It was with that thought in mind that he mentally commanded the Phantom Ruby. In doing so, the talisman that was keeping its presence hidden was removed, and Gadget managed to catch a glimpse of Infinite's shocked face before his vision was clouded in crimson.

A wave emanated from the ruby, and at such close range, it was a miracle that Infinite managed to dodge it. He teleported into Gadget's shadow, just narrowly avoiding being captured by the ruby's power. And when Infinite emerged back, it was with a jubilant expression on his face that contrasted Gadget's frustrated and despairing look. **"Of course you would have the Phantom Ruby on you!"** Infinite laughed, flicking back his hood and revealing his white dreadlocks and scarred face. **"This will make things easier for me. I'll just take it for myself!"**

 **"No you will not!"** Gadget growled, pumping more energy into the ruby. In front of him, small red cubes started growing, piling together and creating a construct, a perfect duplicate of Infinite with the exception being the blank lifeless look on the pseudo-jackal's face. Gadget then reached for the pendant hanging around his neck and the ruby inside his pocket.

With a deep breath, he looped the pendant around his construct's neck, placed the ruby in the construct's pockets and with a bit of effort, took over the construct's body. _**'This way, I can keep Riley safe while being strong enough to combat Infinite,'**_ Gadget thought as he moved his new host, removing the rest of the necklace from Riley and letting the Dhole mobian drop to the sandy ground in a faint.

 **"How amusing,"** Infinite spoke up, drawing out a bright red sword and brandishing it at Gadget. **"Taking over a construct of myself? You have picked the worst opponent for me, Guardian. I am me, and I _know all my moves._ You won't win like this."**

 **"Why do we not let the battle speak for itself?"** Gadget taunted back as he teleported into Infinite's shadow. The jackal was quick to dart away, dodging the incoming wave from the ruby. However, just as he landed, Gadget was already there, having followed Infinite's shadow. The possessed construct's hands grabbed the jackal's legs and held him down.

 **"Hmph! Cheap trick!"** Infinite hissed as he used his own shadow teleportation to escape Gadget's grasp. He reappeared in one of the shadows of the trees, and Gadget inwardly cursed. _**'The moon is almost full; its light is the second brightest tonight, and so the shadows are defined. It will be tricky cornering him at this rate...'**_ both jackals thought, noticing the same thing.

Gadget returned to Riley's side through his shadow, taking a quick moment to survey the area. As said, they were in a rather shadowy area, with several palm trees casting shadows on the sandy beach. Infinite was to his right while on the left were the celebrating spirits. _**'Would it be worth it attracting their attention? No. So I will have to take out Infinite on my own.'**_

Just as the thought finished registering in his head, Gadget whirled around, drawing a copy of Infinite's sword and meeting the real jackal's own weapon in a clash. After brief seconds of testing the other's strength, they erupted into a furious swordplay. Blows were exchanged and blocked, and it was not long before both discarded their heavy ponchos to really pour on the speed.

They were twin blurs of black, darting from shadow to shadow. Sometimes, it was Gadget chasing Infinite, and others, it was Infinite chasing Gadget. Their red, red swords were lasers of red that clashed and clashed and clashed, not one gaining an inch.

 **"You will never win against me like this, Guardian,"** Infinite taunted as he easily read the blow coming for him and blocked it with his own. **"I told you; I know _all_ my moves."**

 **"Repeating yourself? I never took you for that type, Infinite,"** Gadget fired back as he dodged Infinite's blow. He returned it with a swing of his own, but he was no master swordsman when using his own skills rather than that of his construct's. It was easily blocked by Infinite, and Gadget had to switch back to his construct's skills in order to read and dodge Infinite's returning strike. **"But I must be guilty of the same thing, because I will say it again. You _cannot_ use the Phantom Ruby, not while I am around. It will only obey one master."**

 **"Then I'll just have to _kill_ you." **

Gadget almost laughed at that. _**'Lady Luck is not in your corner for that, Infinite... And she will no longer be in your corner for this move!'**_

When Infinite struck once more, Gadget bended backwards to dodge the jackal's sword. He kept bending backwards, unable to feel pain due to the construct's simplistic structure, until his hands touched the sandy ground and one of his leg swung upwards in a kick. It landed a hit on Infinite's chin, seeing as the jackal wasn't expecting the construct to know more than himself. He was overconfident, and now, he was paying the price.

Gadget continued moving, his legs arcing over until he was upright again, sword swinging outwards. _**'Now's my chance!'**_ he thought, seeing that the jackal was still dazed from the surprise blow. The swing from the sword was dodged, but Gadget had planned for that. His free hand touched the Phantom Ruby and sent out another wave. This time, since Infinite was busy dodging the sword, he got hit.

 _ **'Game. Over,'** _Gadget thought victoriously as he turned his attention to the ruby to utilize its ability

The Phantom Ruby had power over visual and depth perception. This was due to its ability to send powerful suggestions to the brain, strong enough that it would fool the brain into thinking there was something that wasn't there. Of course, this ability would only be activated if the wave the ruby sent out hit the target. From there on, by fooling the brain, the Phantom Ruby could make virtual realities 'real' to the affected person.

And Gadget had just the right illusion for Infinite.

* * *

 **"Ugh!"** Infinite grunted, noticing the wave. He glared fiercely, thinking that something out of the ordinary was going to happen.

But after two minutes, things remained the same, and Gadget's expression melted into disbelief. **"No! That should have worked!"** he exclaimed, reaching into his pocket and bringing out the Phantom Ruby.

Infinite's eyes immediately locked onto his target. The first time he saw it, the gem was pulsing with light, sending stripes across its surface. But now, in Gadget's hands, it looked dull and lifeless.

The despairing expression on Gadget's face deepened. **"No, no, no! This cannot be happening..."** he muttered, even as the construct started fading away.

Infinite watched quietly, surprised but not entirely displeased as the construct finally vanished. The pendant and the ruby dropped to the ground. Without a host, Gadget could not do anything.

And the Phantom Ruby was for the taking.

 **"How anticlimactic..."** Infinite murmured to himself, warily sheathing his sword and staring at the ruby lying defenseless on the ground. There was just something...wrong with this picture. His instincts didn't seem to find anything wrong, but his logical side disagreed. There was something wrong with this picture.

He knew he had been hit by the Phantom Ruby. Realistically, he would be dragged in an illusion. But his instincts didn't react. He didn't even feel worried. Rather, he felt calm...and a part of him was whispering. _'Go on, take the Phantom Ruby! With it, we can make that vision a reality! Everything will be in ruins, all will submit, EVEN the Gods themselves! Ultimate power is within our reach!'_

And the longer he stared at the ruby (no Guardian, no construct, nothing to stop him from simply reaching out and picking it up), the bigger the temptation grew...

 **"No!"** Infinite snarled, as much as it pained him to push away the power the Phantom Ruby promised. **"It wouldn't mean anything if this is all an illusion,"** he reasoned with himself, an idea forming in his mind. **"There is one way to find out whether this is reality or illusion..."**

He made a bee-line for the pendant that housed Gadget's spirit. Whomever that wore the pendant would become a host to Gadget. Though the details weren't made known to Infinite, the jackal knew from personal experience that while Gadget could influence mortals without problems, he would have a harder time influencing hybrids (half-spirit, half-mortal), and have absolutely no control over full spirits. As such, he did not feel too wary slipping on the pendant. He knew that he could regain control if he wished. He had done it once. He could do it again.

Once the pendant rested on his chest, Infinite waited.

And...yes, he could sense Gadget. The earthbound spirit was struggling to try and control him. With a gleeful laugh, Infinite slipped off the necklace before Gadget could pull through, now feeling utterly triumphant. **"This is no illusion,"** he spoke out-loud, dropping the pendant without care. **"The Phantom Ruby is mine!"**

 _'It is, it is, take it, ultimate power is yours!'_

This time, Infinite couldn't resist. He reached out for the Phantom Ruby...

And just as his hands brushed against the smooth surface, just as it started glowing once more, responding to its _new owner_ -!

Everything faded away in a flurry of red cubes...leaving behind an empty void that looked eerily like...

 **"NO! THIS CAN'T BE NULL SPACE!"** Infinite yelled, whirling around, the addictive feeling of triumph and victory abandoning him and being replaced with a sensation of having a cold bucket of water dropped on him. **"How is this even possible?! What...what did Gadget do?! This isn't..."** Before he could finish the sentence, he stopped himself. No, he did not want to admit it. If he did, if he admitted it ( _thatthiswasn'tanillusion_ ), it would mean the end for him.

Nobody had ever escaped Null Space. Only the Gods had that kind of power.

Nobody had ever escaped Null Space.

Nobody...

* * *

The Phantom Ruby pulsed.

Once.

Twice.

And the illusion shattered.

* * *

Infinite gasped, feeling as if he had just awakened from a nightmare. He looked around, a bone-rattling fear still deep inside him that had not yet been chased away by the relief of seeing the same beach. For a brief moment, all he could do was stare and try to regain his composure, remaining seated on the sandy beach.

 **"I hope you enjoyed your illusion, Infinite. You have always claimed yourself to be a master of fear."**

 **"GADGET!"** Infinite roared, absolutely furious. He realized it. Everything that had just happened, it was only an illusion! A small part of him was impressed by the realistic ( _toorealistic,can'tforgettheemptinessofNullSpace_ ) experience, but it was mostly swallowed up by the enraged part of him. He tried to stand up, to move, to grab Gadget and tear that face (no longer of his own, of the construct, but back in that dhole boy) apart, only to find himself being unable to move his limbs. Looking down, he found himself being bound by paper and rope talismans.

 **"You will not be getting out of those bonds anytime soon Infinite. Not even your shadow teleportation will work. No, none of your powers will work,"** Gadget explained from his place, sitting in front of Infinite. A pleased expression (one that Infinite would love to gladly rip to shreds) was on his face, one of his hands ungloved with blood dripping from the index finger. **"While you were enjoying the illusion, I made the talismans to keep you contained. And now, you will no longer be a bother..."**

 **"Just you wait, Gadget..."** Infinite growled, practically spitting out Gadget's name. **"Just you wait. The Phantom Ruby will be mine, and when I get my hands on it, I will make sure you STAY dead."**

Gadget responded with a laugh, one that was cold and bitter enough to surprise the jackal. **"Oh Infinite..."** he sighed, lowering his head. **"Do you not know? I _desire to be dead, for real._** **In this state, I am nothing but a leech. Taking on host after host, doomed to roam this planet forever, in order to protect the Phantom Ruby. When I first triggered it...I saw it. A world _without_ a Phantom Ruby to protect. It was paradise. I was able to move on..."**

 **"But that is the one reality the Phantom Ruby cannot bring to life."** Cold, cold eyes met Infinite, and despite the bright color, the jackal could not help but feel a chill crawl down his spine. **"Despite having the ultimate power, as you claim the Phantom Ruby to be, it cannot grant my wish. So much for 'ultimate' power, no?"**

Gadget sighed and stood up, brushing sand off his clothes and staring up at the sky. **"If you have the desire to kill me...but not the desire to plunge the world into ruins, I would have made you my host in a heartbeat,"** he commented off-handedly, almost amused by the thought. He and Infinite were anything but friends, more like antagonistic acquaintances. So to think that they could have been _friends_ -!

It was a thought he might leave to gather dust. Right now, they had to leave. Solaris would soon shine his light upon this side of the planet, and he rather not have to explain to his host or their charges on why they were out with this very bad-tempered jackal out and about.

 **"That's right. I should probably hide you,"** Gadget muttered to himself off-handedly as he took out a paper talisman. It was the same one used to hide the Phantom Ruby; he brought extras in case the first one broke. It was a powerful talisman, able to hide the presence of anyone and anything completely. The only weaknesses were that it could affect only one object or person, and if it broke, it remained broken.

For a moment, Gadget debated on a decision, before he kneeled next to Infinite and fixed the talismans. Infinite flinched, feeling _something_ settle on him. **"What did you do to me?"** he snarled lowly, glaring heat at the Guardian.

 **"A compulsion and an adjustment, so that you cannot harm anyone or anything at all. It completely eliminates the feeling of motivation to kill, harm, injure, maim, in any way or form. You can also walk and move, but you will not be able to leave more than three meters away from me. You still will not be able to use your powers though,"** Gadget explained, drawing back his bloodied finger that he used to change the talismans. **"And this."** He slapped the hiding talisman on Infinite, a small part of him amused by the jackal's gob-smacked expression. **"You will not be seen, nor will your presence be felt, by anyone but me."**

Infinite seethed, feeling no limits to his rage at being treated this way. He hated it. He hated having no control. He hated being bossed around by someone else. And worse of all, it was _Gadget_ of all people that he was being bossed around by!

 **"I swear Gadget, I swear..."** he muttered, the threats and curses turning incomprehensible from how fast and quietly they were muttered. The compulsion was working; he couldn't 'harm' Gadget (because words counted, and so Infinite was unable to shout or vent out his frustrations as loudly as he wanted). Gadget sighed and stood up.

 **"Unless you want to be dragged, you might want to start moving,"** was his only warning as he started walking away. Infinite let out another wordless snarl, but he grudgingly followed.

It was going to be a long day for the both of them.

* * *

 **So...what do you think? Also, were you surprised? That Gadget is the Guardian of the Phantom Ruby? I thought it would be ironic. And yes, talismans rule. They can do anything Gadget put his mind to. Just like the Phantom Ruby. Now though, talismans won't be able to save him from suffering Infinite's company XD.**

 **Now, by the looks of things, Infinite shares a past with Gadget. This will (probably) be in the Interludes, so if you want to know just how they met, you'll have to wait for that part to happen.**

 **Also, the Phantom Ruby. Its powers are explained differently in this fanfiction, and they will be explained in a Gerald journal entry. But if you have any immediate questions, I'll answer them. Hope to see you in the next chapter!**


	14. Chapter 10

**Here's another chapter! Things are moving along splendidly!**

 **Mitha Sentro: Yup! In this fanfic, he's three centuries plus years old, and all that time, he spent learning and experiencing the world. He's going to be a little badass in this! Um, what do you mean by the 'Why you didn't do like you do in Forces before?'. Are you asking Gadget?**

 **And really, don't feel bad about the lack of questions. Perhaps I'm more obvious than I thought and everyone has already figured it out XD! Either way, thank you for your review and your patience!**

 **Now, on with the chapter!**

* * *

Chapter 10

Later, back in the villa...

It was not the sun shining in his eyes or the sounds of activity going on about in the large villa they were currently staying in that woke him up. No, it wasn't because of the warmer temperature of the dawning day or his gradual notice of the snores of the still-sleeping mobians either.

He woke up because something was amiss.

Drowsy dark grey eyes blinked open and instinctively scanned their surroundings. Faline's bright gold fur (no longer dirty and muddy after the shower they took advantage of) blocked most of his sight, but Cody raised his head slightly and looked around.

The rest of his friends-slash-family were still in bed, still in a puppy pile, but Cody was quick to notice what was amiss, and it startled him enough to sit up. "Riley?" he called out softly, gaze darting about the room. To his dismay, there was no sign of the familiar dhole anywhere.

Now, if this were to happen back at their shack, Cody wouldn't mind. Riley was prone to disappearing early in the morning, but he always came back. But they were not back at their shack. They were in a strange place, in a strange territory with strangers everywhere. And for Riley to disappear while they were here...

"Hm? Cody?" Faline's soft mutter drew his attention as the small cat woke up, yawning and stretching out. "What is it?" she asked, seeing the distressed look on the Chinese Crested dog's face.

"It's Riley. He's gone," Cody replied back, not even thinking of being subtle to avoid scaring her. He himself was already scared.

And as he thought, as soon as his words sunk in, Faline gasped and sat up. She also looked around the room, and when there was no Riley to be found, she let out a distressed mew. "Do you think Riley's gone out again?"

"I don't know..." Cody murmured. "I didn't think he would do that, not here."

"He'll be back. He always comes back, right?"

 _'Let's hope he does,'_ Cody thought privately to himself as he didn't reply to Faline's question and instead got around to waking the others up. By the hands on the bedside clock, breakfast had already started and they didn't want to miss it. Hopefully, they would see Riley there...

* * *

The courtyard was where breakfast was being served, its enormous size able to accommodate the many humans and mobians in the villa. Long wooden tables and benches were neatly lined in several rows while a large buffet was set up at one end. The humans and mobians were rushing about like a chaotic river, the entire courtyard enveloped in a cacophony of chatter and movement.

In the face of such a busy and crowded place, the small group of mobian kids could only huddle closer together. With Riley missing, most were unnerved and frazzled, eyes darting about almost akin to a cornered animal. They moved even closer to Cody, who was also unnerved, but was pushing it down for their sakes.

Not a few seconds after they entered the courtyard, the group was ushered towards one of the tables by a friendly mobian servant. Seeing as the kids were too nervous to go to the buffet table, the servant offered to bring them food. Cody spoke up on the group's behalf and it was only after the servant left that Faline asked quietly, "Can you see Riley?"

At Faline's question, Cody stood up from his seat and tried to look at the huge crowd, but it was a fruitless effort. Not only were the humans and some mobians too tall for him to see over their heads, but even when he stood up on the bench (ignoring looks for his action), there were too many mobians with reddish-brown fur and their own colorful accessories that were distracting Cody.

Disheartened, the Chinese Crested dropped back down on his seat, shaking his head. Faline slumped and the kids who were paying attention winced. "Do you know why he left?" one of them asked.

"He was gone by the time I woke up," Cody replied with a frown. "I think he woke up early and...perhaps he went out to explore?"

"But without telling us?"

Cody frowned deeper at the question, his heart clenching in his chest and dropping to his queasy stomach. "Maybe he has a reason?"

Next to him, Faline suddenly gasped and shot up. She grabbed Cody's arm and tugged it excitedly, pointing at the crowd. "Look! There's Riley!"

Almost every kid's head shot up at that. Cody was already out of his seat by the time they even saw the dhole mobian moving towards their table. "Riley!" Cody called out, a relieved smile flashing on his face briefly before it changed to a worried and annoyed expression. "Where have you been?"

"Just out," was the short reply from the dhole. Sleepy brown eyes gazed tiredly at softening grey, Cody noticing just how exhausted Riley looked. "I heard something last night and went out to check. Couldn't find my way back until now..."

"What was it?" Cody asked, reaching over to tug Riley's hand and lead him towards the table. "Come on, you can talk about it to us at the table."

Riley shook his head, standing firmly at his spot. "Can't. I still have something to do... Cody." The dhole stared seriously at the younger mobian. "For today...for today, I won't be around you guys. I have something to do. I...I won't be back until tomorrow, when all of this is over."

Cody froze at those words, his face flashing through several emotions: shock, devastation, worry and wariness. "Why?"

"I can't tell you, not yet. But after this, I promise, I'll tell you." Riley gently pulled his hand away from Cody. "I have to go."

With that, Riley disappeared back into the crowd while Cody was left to stumble back towards the worried and curious group. "Where's Riley going now? What did he say?" Faline was quick to ask as Cody slumped into his seat.

"...He said he had something to do, that he won't be coming back until tomorrow..."

* * *

 _"...and he said he can't tell us, until tomorrow."_

 _"...Let's not worry about him then. He promised, didn't he? He promised that he'll tell us, so...so let's wait for him."_

 _"That's all we can do for now."_

A sigh escaped Gadget as the voices faded away. The construct of Riley he sent to his charges had returned by then, now standing in front of Gadget. The Guardian reached out and removed the bead-shaped talisman he slipped in the construct's pocket. As soon as he did, the construct's tired expression melted away, leaving behind the familiar blank look all constructs had. And when Gadget waved a hand, the construct's image disintegrated into red blocks.

 **"...What was that for?"**

Gold eyes turned to see Infinite staring back at him. The jackal had donned on his poncho once more, pulling up the hood and shadowing his face so that only his eyes could be seen. He was standing rigidly, arms crossed on his chest and hands curled up, the talismans Gadget placed on him standing out.

 **"Taking care of something,"** Gadget replied, vague but truthful. He placed the talisman back in his pocket and pulled out the Phantom Ruby. Ignoring Infinite's sharpened gaze, the Guardian applied a paper talisman on the ruby, the same one he used on Infinite to hide the jackal's presence.

Infinite's eyes subtly widened when the ruby and its presence vanished, leaving behind not even the faintest trace. It garnered interest from the jackal. While the subtle method wasn't exactly a route Infinite preferred, a talisman that could hide even the powerful presence of the Phantom Ruby was still interesting and the jackal could certainly see several ways he could exploit it.

He was brought of his thoughts when Gadget's attention turned back to Infinite. **"Now, what to do with you...?"**

 **"You have already captured me, forced me in this _humiliating_ situation. You have me at your mercy, and here you are, openly contemplating my fate in front of my face,"** Infinite snarled, his hackles and bushy tail bristling in his anger and indignation.

 **"I never did give you an impression that I am ostentatiously virtuous person, did I?"** Gadget huffed, staring unimpressed at the jackal.

 **"The entire debacle of how you refused to let me have the Phantom Ruby to bring this world into ruin?"** Infinite jabbed back, sending his own unimpressed look at the Guardian. **"Plus your hesitance to kill me."**

The flinch Gadget gave at the word 'kill' didn't escape Infinite's notice, and the jackal snorted.

Gadget narrowed his eyes at Infinite and retorted, **"I do not kill _unnecessarily._ "**

 **"Then you have a very strange definition of what is 'unnecessary',"** Infinite murmured. **"You have an enemy at your mercy. An enemy who will not rest until he has seen you suffer and dead for good, with the Phantom Ruby in his grasp. You are too soft."**

 **"Oh?"** Gadget was losing his impatience as he leaned towards Infinite, a glare in his eyes and a bite in his voice. **"Perhaps I should give you the full experience of being in Null Space? You responded quite well to it the last time, and that was _only an illusion._ I wonder how you will cope with the real deal?"**

Infinite's hands shook. He fisted them tighter, and even then, they trembled. A sensation of fear he had never felt before lurched up in his stomach, and it took every bit of his control not to show any outwards response to the infuriating Guardian. He glared at Gadget, a defiant gesture.

Infinite would not show weakness. Not now, not ever.

The two continued their stare-down for a few more seconds before Gadget spoke up. **"Know this Infinite. I do not kill. Because there are things worse than the mercy of death. Such as the three options I am about to offer you."**

Gadget raised one finger. **"One, you give up on the Phantom Ruby, for good. You will not ever come for it, directly or otherwise."**

 **"As if I would give up on the ruby just like that!"** Infinite snarled, torn between anger and amusement. **"Do you think it would be so easy, just asking me not to come for it?"**

Gadget ignored Infinite's words and raised a second finger. **"Two, I imprison you in Mistbound Mountain, until your limited immortal life runs out."**

Infinite quieted at that. Mistbound Mountain, it was the one place no spirit or mortal (or half-spirit) dared to enter. Enshrouded in myths and stories as it was in its infamous mist, Mistbound Mountain was a place of desolation. Mortals avoided it for its misty barrier while spirits avoided it for its lack of energy. It was like a _void, no Chaos, Life or Gaia Energy at all._ It unnerved the spirits, and they never approached the mountain.

If Gadget trapped him there, no one would come after him (not that there was anyone who would know of his disappearance). No one would find him again. He would be alone, cut off from the world, isolated for good.

It would be a meaningless existence, the epitome of everything Infinite disliked and wanted at the same time. His inner fire rebuked at the thought of becoming meaningless while his nihilistic side approved. It would be as if he was living in a world of ruin, the same one the Phantom Ruby showed.

But this wasn't the way Infinite wanted it.

A third finger raised up, bringing the jackal's attention back to the present. **"Three, I imprison you in Null Space."**

Infinite couldn't hold back a snarl at that. Gadget ignored it as well and continued, **"Those are your three options Infinite. And know that as you said, I have you at _my mercy._ Should you not choose one of these options or try to resist, I will not hesitate to use the _third_ option." **Gold eyes pierced like knives into Infinite. **"You wish to see me hard and ruthless. As such, I am sure you have no complaints on how I am dealing with you."**

Oh the irony, the sheer audacity. Infinite wished he could rip these talismans apart and pin the Guardian down, have him at _Infinite's mercy_ instead. See how he liked it when the roles were switched...

Gadget leaned back from Infinite. **"I will give you until after the Chaos Festival to consider. If you have not by then, the third option."** With that, Gadget started moving closer to the beach, and Infinite had no choice but to follow, snarling wordlessly the entire way.

* * *

The day passed by gradually with Solaris' journey across the sky. Not long afterwards, it was officially noon. The celebration among the spirits was still going strong, but some were already retiring, taking a chance to relax and mingle with the others.

The feasting was still going on though, and Gadget used a camouflage talisman to sneak in and swipe some of the food. He was taking no chances to approach the mortals, not while Infinite could follow him around thanks to the distance-limit talisman. And the Guardian was still too paranoid to leave Infinite out of his sight just yet.

Once he grabbed enough, he was quick to scurry away, back to where Infinite was waiting rigidly at the very edge of the grove of palm trees. The jackal eyed the food in Gadget's arms, his stomach giving a traitorous grumble.

 **"Here,"** Gadget said, instinctively handing half of the food to Infinite. Both froze when they registered the action; one staring at the offered food in surprise and the other inwardly berating this new instinct he developed. Back with his host's charges, whenever they were short of food, Riley was always quick to share his food, no matter how little there was. So when Gadget heard Infinite's stomach grumble...

The Guardian was quick to regain his composure while Infinite pushed away the food. **"I do not need your sympathy,"** the jackal couldn't help but growl, an instinctive reaction. He wasn't used to being under someone's mercy ( _usually it was the other way around, with others cowering under_ him), so it was only after a few seconds before he realized that Gadget could easily starve him.

And while Infinite was half-spirit, he had no elemental form that did not require food, nor was his body a mortal shell with the same lack of needs. He could easily starve. His immortality wasn't absolute; he wouldn't die from old age, but other causes of death still applied to him.

Thankfully for Infinite, Gadget didn't seem to take his refusal as the Guardian instead placed the food down in front of Infinite before backing away and sitting down, leaning against another palm tree and digging in his half of the food.

The jackal grumbled, prolonging the time so that he wasn't seen weak. He slowly slid down until he was sitting as well, before slowly grabbing the food and eating. **"I do not need your sympathy,"** he repeated.

 **"Right..."** Gadget sighed, but other than that, both ignored each other.

The lunch time soon ended, but both remained in their spots. Half of Gadget's attention was on Infinite while the other half was in thoughts. Infinite himself was somewhat doing the same thing; a quarter watching Gadget and the rest lost in thoughts.

He needed to find a way out of this situation. He would not give up on the Phantom Ruby. It was his goal ( _and he would cling onto this goal with all he had, he would not give up this one goal, the one thing driving him, motivating him from his meaningless existence_ ), and after this, it was his own way of exacting revenge on Gadget. As such, he also needed to avoid being imprisoned.

But how?

The jackal's thoughts continued to run. Right now, he was unable to fight, unable to use his powers, unable to run away, and there was no one he could contact to ask for help (not that he would ever; he was strong; he did not follow the sheep herd, did not cower among the herd, he was a predator that stood alone on his own and did so because he was _strong_ ). And he could not take off the talismans (he tried; it didn't turn out well).

As such, with that powerful talisman used to hide the Phantom Ruby, Infinite was basically unable to interact with anyone other than Gadget. He was basically cut off from the rest of the world, with Gadget as the only exception...

Gadget.

An idea came to mind. To get out of this mess, he would have to manipulate Gadget. But how?

As a mercenary, Infinite knew how to kill. He also know how to assassinate, how to steal and how to barter and negotiate (though for the latter, it mostly ended with a sword at a stubborn person's neck; Infinite found that the threat of death could be very persuasive). Right now, he needed to negotiate his freedom.

In his experiences, negotiations, at their very barest basics, involved two parties coming to an agreement so that both could have what they want. The party that had an advantage would gain more, and right now, Infinite was not that party.

As such, he would need to be smart about this. He would need to offer Gadget something the Guardian wanted more than anything, a desire...

A desire...such as the one the Phantom Ruby granted...

 _ **"Do you not know? I desire to be dead, for real..."**_

 _ **"When I first triggered it...I saw it. A world without a Phantom Ruby to protect. It was paradise. I was able to move on..."** _

Gadget's words came back to Infinite, and the jackal's eyes lit up with a calculating gleam.

He could work with this...

* * *

 **Alright, exposition time!**

 **Infinite is a hybrid between a spirit and a mortal mobian. As such, he has inherited powers from his spirit half (though not as powerful as they could be if he were fully spirit), along with pseudo-immortality. He cannot die from old age (he will have an immortal lifespan really, since he doesn't have an object to tie his lifespan down), but he can still die from disease, injury, etc.**

 **How Infinite became a hybrid, what of his past, all of these won't be explained yet. They will come in later (if people want to know that is).**

 **OK, hope to hear your thoughts from this! And I hope you enjoyed the chapter!**


	15. Interlude 5

**I've already said it on my profile and my other fanfic From the Wilderness, but I will say it again. Updates will become sporadic. Well, they already are, but there're going to be longer pauses between each update, depending on how things go in my real life. I just can NOT keep anything resembling a schedule anymore, at least on fanfiction. I apologize for this and please bear with me.**

 **Review responses!**

 **Mitha Sentro: You're welcome :)** **! And in the trailers, his skin is shown the most, making most people think he's going to be a new character until they revealed that he's actually a customable avatar. The fans even gave him a name; Gadget, and I want to implement the Avatar/Rookie in this fanfiction, so I used Gadget because I feel that otherwise, there are too many OCs already. Something more familiar to the fans might be better instead.**

 **And Infinite has an idea~! Let's see if it'll turn out well, in Chapter 11!**

 **And the Guardians know that _something_ is going to happen. And since it is referred to as a 'storm', it could be bad. But then again, a storm is also a bringer of change, and whether that change is good or not depends. So the Guardians are more 'we are wary and we know something is going to happen, so let's wait and see what it is'.**

 **Alright, with the review response done, let the interlude begin!**

* * *

Interlude 5

When Gerald returned home, it was almost a cultural shock. For months, he had been cut off from civilization, with only his horse and a mobian wolf to keep him company. One was a non-mobian animal with limited intelligence and the other was very…eh, _unique_ , a parody of another person that came from a very, very different background.

And as he had grown so used to them, when he arrived at his first town on the way back home, it was such a surprising shift, changing from surviving in the wilderness to be offered comforts that he couldn't afford back at the forest, from straightforwardness to subtlety, from a strange sort of manners suited more towards spirits to the society's manners for humans. Thankfully, while the shift was noticeable, it was also understandable, judging by the people's looks towards him whenever he fumbled on social etiquette.

"It happens, mister," one of the inn keepers sympathized. "Other travelers have experienced the same thing; they gotten so used to living in the wilderness and its simplistic life that when they come back to the settlements, they are always startled. But in the end, they're always glad to be back home."

Gerald himself wished he felt the same way. But right now, as he approached his mansion, it was only the thought of seeing his beloved granddaughter again that stopped him from simply turning around and heading back to Mystic Forest. Ether once warned him of this...

-Flashback-

"Spirits can be very tempting," the wolf explained. "They are, essentially, a new species onto themselves. They are _different_ from us. They can be easily spotted in a crowd once you know what to look for. It is simply the way they _look_ , the way they _act_ , and in most cases, that can be tempting. In addition, spirits in general have more of the Energies (Life, Gaia and Chaos) in them than mortals, and this factor draws others in. It is important that you know and resist it, especially if you are a mortal…"

Blue eyes gained a gold section in each iris as Ether spoke solemnly. " **Nothing good comes of** a mortal and a spirit **interacting more than** they should. The mortal **may be so tempted that** they forget their origins, or **be stressed** **out from** trying to fit into **another being's world that they simply lose their minds and _break_**. In the spirit's case, if the mortal **tries to chain them down, they** will suffer. And if spirits **also try to fit into a mortal's world, it will** not be easy, especially if they **force themselves to ignore** their spirit needs…"

-End of Flashback-

Gerald steeled himself. He gripped the reins in his hands tightly and urged the horse onwards to the large gates. He would not allow himself to be tempted. He still had people who need him. He still had his granddaughter, who needed him more than anyone. It was with these thoughts that he firmed his resolve and continued.

As he drew closer to his mansion, the gatekeeper noticed him. With a bright relieved smile, the blond man waved a hand, calling out, "Lord Kintobor! You've returned home!"

"I have, Charlie," Gerald greeted back with a nod. "How has everything been?"

"As well as it could be…" Charlie replied with a nervous smile. "There were several people who were curious to where you have gone, but I told them you were on a series of business ventures and events. So far, there hasn't been any trouble…but the young miss, she looks forward to your return, and she worries herself sick at times…"

"Is Maria alright?" Gerald immediately asked even as the gatekeeper moved to open the gates.

"She…she is physically healthy, but…her worries have made her heart sick," Charlie replied quietly, almost under his breath, and if Gerald had not been waiting to hear the answer, the lord would have missed the answer entirely. As he did not miss it, Gerald was quick to charge through the gates on his horse as soon as they were opened enough.

The journey to Maria's room was a rush; Gerald was so focused on reaching his granddaughter that what happened did not register to him until he found himself opening the door to Maria's room. "Maria?"

Slightly glazed blue eyes darted up, slight disbelief in their depths. But when they registered the elderly lord standing there, they lit up. "Grandfather! You're back!" Maria exclaimed happily, traces of worry disappearing to reveal the tiredness underneath. The ever-doting grandfather he was, Gerald noticed it quickly. He strode over to the bed where Maria was resting and sat down on the bedside chair next to it ( _one that had been used all-too-frequently during other times whenever Maria had to stay in bed_ ).

Maria leaned over the bed and Gerald leaned closer, accepting and returning the embrace. The numerous letters from Gerald spread out on the bed crinkled from the movement as Maria leaned back, a smile brightening her face. "How was your trip?" she asked as she gathered up the letters she had been reading over again this morning.

"It was quite pleasant," Gerald replied with a hum, finding something inside him settle down. The hesitance he felt before was gone. The need to return to Mystic Forest wasn't as pressing as before - even as he retold his experiences while keeping the spiritual aspects vague - and he was glad for that. Taking in the expression on his granddaughter's face, he could tell that Maria was also glad that he came back, which only served to make him even more content.

He was back home...

* * *

Weeks passed by since Gerald's return, and it was a return that went unnoticed and noticed at the same time. For the most part, no one suspected that Lord Kintobor had spent several months in the forbidden Mystic Forest, and only the nobles knew of the lord's supposed business ventures and attendance of events somewhere else in the wide vast human kingdom. They also did not bothered to find out exactly which events, not wanting to risk themselves. The Kintobor family had a reputation to fear and fear did the nobles.

However, what did get noticed was Gerald's sudden dive into the pharmacy world. Not long after his return, the lord was quick to put his research to use. The herbs and plants he found in Mystic Forest were being grown in private greenhouses and made into most effective medicine, with the excuse that these seeds and specimens were the results of his 'business ventures'. And more secretly, the knowledge Ether was kind enough to part to him was also being included.

And all in all, it resulted in miracle cures that quickly rose to fame. In no time, there was a booming business. Everyone on the continent, even the mobian kingdom, knew of Gerald's medicine.

Everyone...which also included a certain organization that had dealings with the Kintobor family before...

* * *

It happened one evening when he was returning home from the capital. As his horse approached his mansion, Gerald noticed something very unsettling.

The Sight that was given to him on his second day at Mystic Forest had never left him. It allowed him to notice the literal swarm of spirits sitting on the gates and the gatekeeper's post, giggling, with mischievous smiles that had a much darker edge in their corners. These were the more chaotic spirits, those more inclined to do mischief that caused pain to others, darker-natured so to speak. To see them hanging about his mansion…it was akin to an ill omen, and with how many there were, it sent a cold chill down his spine.

Reaching into his coat, he pulled out the phoenix charm Ether gifted him. The spirits shrieked when they noticed the protective presence of the phoenix, quickly scattering as Gerald rode his horse closer to the gates. Those unlucky enough to be slow to move away were immediately caught on fire, burning up and scattering into purified ash. In no time, the front area was clear of these ill-omened spirits.

However, Gerald was still not relaxed. For these spirits to be here in the first place, it spoke of trouble that had befallen on the mansion. With a grimace, he called out for the gatekeeper. "Charlie! Open the gates!"

The blond man looked out, relief washing over his features upon seeing Gerald. "Lord Kintobor! You are back! Thank goodness!" he cried out even as he opened the gates. "Please hurry! Abraham Towers, he's here, at your mansion, demanding your presence!"

Rather than being surprised, Gerald was furious when he heard the news of the leader of the thrice-damned Guardians organization, Towers himself, being at his home. It explained the spirits' presence; Towers' organization had done plenty to attract so many of these dangerous imps.

He did not even stay behind long enough to continue asking Charlie for more news. He snapped his reins and urged his horse into a gallop towards the mansion, heart nearly dropping to his stomach when he saw several horses waiting in front of the large building, all bearing a familiar crest fire-branded onto their skins. The blasted organization was really here, in his house, and his granddaughter!

Faster than an old man like him should move, he got off his horse and stormed through the doors, his right hand gripping the phoenix charm that heated pleasantly. He took no notice of the fleeing spirits, his eyes set on the gathered men standing in the main hall. "Why are you here in my house?" he rumbled, a brewing storm evident in his voice.

Abraham Towers strode out, bearing a condescending smile upon his smug face. "It is a pleasure to see you again, Lord Gerald Kintobor," he greeted, completely brushing off the question. "It is a pleasure to see you once more. We have heard the news! Your miracle cures! A lucky business venture I take it? Quite strange that you kept the origins of these cures so secretive... The kingdom would love to know more about them."

 _"Be calm,"_ a melodic voice brushed against his ears, causing Gerald to nearly jolt in surprise. From the corner of his eye, he could see the feathers and the talons of the spirit, a beautiful fiery phoenix perching on his right shoulder, where his right hand was holding the phoenix-feathered charm. _"He is merely trying to provoke you into revealing the truth…"_

"My cures are none of your business, Towers," Gerald spoke up even as he tried to reign in his temper. "I no longer have any business with the Guardians. I have washed my hands of your doings, and I will not sully them again."

"Not even if it is for the sake of your granddaughter? After all...your cures have not worked on her yet, no?"

Gerald stiffened, which was enough of a response to the rhetorical question, and Towers' eyes gleamed triumphantly.

"I have...a proposition...one that might, no, one that will _definitely_ cure your dear Maria."

"Perhaps you would like to hear it?"

* * *

 **...Well, I'm sure you guys know where this is going. The interludes are FINALLY picking up! Hope to see you next chapter.**


	16. Chapter 11

**Alright! Now that I have finished my visit for From the Wilderness, it's this fanfic's turn! Again, this is just a visit, not a full return. Hope I haven't lost my touch with this doozy of a plot. Now let's get onto it!**

* * *

Chapter 11

The day passed mostly in silence, calculating on one side and wariness on the other. Gadget may not know Infinite in his entirety, but something about the absolute lack of words from the jackal made the fur on the back of Gadget's neck stand straight. At this rate, the Guardian was just waiting for a move, completely on edge.

And as such, when Infinite finally deigned to speak, Gadget just about jumped out of his 'borrowed' pelt.

 **"Why do you wish to be dead?"**

The question was rather unexpected and Gadget couldn't help a flinch. Infinite's heterochromatic eyes rested heavily on the Guardian, a waiting and curious look in them that for some reason struck out to Gadget, by how…familiar it was. It was a look of a listener, one that was not pushing for answers, but rather waiting.

And the Guardian could remember ever so vividly the same look on another mobian's face…on _Ether's_ face, when the wolf mobian first heard of Gadget's desire. The parallels between someone he considered a close friend and another he considered not quite an enemy ( _more of a hostile acquaintance; Gadget had long been over thinking of those who came after the ruby as enemies_ ) made it all the more surprising.

And if Gadget was being completely honest, while a part of him considered this approach from Infinite, the jackal that did not seem like the type to be trusted, with high suspicion, another part…softened. After all, as said before, Infinite was not quite an enemy, and that was the only reason why Gadget deigned to react to the jackal's question.

 **"I already told you, did I not?"** the Guardian asked back in reply, eyes shifting away to gaze at a blank spot on the sandy ground. **"I am an earthbound spirit, destined to forever wander the planet without ever knowing the true respite of death, of eternal rest. I am destined to continue taking host after host, taking their bodies, their very lives. All for the sake of this cursed thing that I rather see destroyed than anything."**

A pause, before the young dhole whose body was host to the Guardian sighed, the too-young features on his face morphing into a look that looked unsettlingly _wrong_ with how _ancient_ it was, in comparison to the dhole's physical age.

 **"…I am tired, Infinite. So, so tired…"**

Weary gold eyes that didn't fit their bright color looked back up at Infinite, letting the jackal take a glimpse at an exhaustion that was three centuries old, before looking away once more.

It left Infinite feeling slightly unbalanced. While he did know that Gadget had lived for a long, long time, he never thought of exactly how long. And by that tired look, one that the dhole's youth failed to hide, the jackal could say that Gadget was old, older than Infinite's own nine decades.

 _'For three centuries…all he wished and still wishes is to die. To rest in the earth and be free of what he considers a burden…_ ' Infinite thought, realizing the reason but not entirely understanding. How could he? Here was someone who had all the knowledge in the world, all the power when using the Phantom Ruby. If Gadget didn't have the morals he had, he could have easily done whatever he wanted. With his knowledge and power, it would be so, so easy…

 _'And yet, he wishes to give it all up. He had all the power, but…he had no fire in him. Not anymore.'_

 **"And what of you?"** Gadget's voice asking the question brought Infinite back out of his thoughts. **"An answer for another. What is your reason for wanting the ruby? I do know that you wish to fulfill your desire using the Phantom Ruby, but why?"**

Infinite regarded the questions and the Guardian who asked it. The jackal, after his realization, felt torn between disgust and, of all emotions, _sympathy_ for Gadget. As much as the jackal would hate to admit it, he could see similarities between himself and the earthbound spirit. And once he saw them, he couldn't ignore them. It was why he was regarding them, rather than outright refusing to answer.

But his pondering silence took too long, and Gadget, thinking that Infinite wouldn't answer his first question, asked another. **"If you do not wish to answer that question, then I will ask a different one. Why did you ask me in the first place?"**

Infinite inwardly grimaced at the sudden change of topic, and with it, the loss of the appropriate opportunity to answer Gadget's first question. But it also provided another opportunity, one that was closer to his main objective. As such, he seized it and replied, **"…For curiosity sake…and a proposal on my part."**

The jackal's eyes flickered, briefly hesitant, before they met Gadget's gaze head on, with no deception in their depths. He knew that his proposal was completely preposterous, that there was no use in pretending to be helpful. So why hide his intention in the first place? As such, in a fit of near-reckless bravery, Infinite offered his proposal.

 **"Since you wish to die so much…why not I fulfill your wish? And if I do, you will hand over the Phantom Ruby."**

Gadget remained silent for a few seconds before snorting from the sheer audacity of the proposal. **"In other words, you are basically saying, 'let me kill you so that I can take the Phantom Ruby for myself'. What makes you confident that I will accept your proposal?"**

 **"The fact that you, as much as it pains me to say this, are just like me."**

To his credit, Gadget didn't look entirely put out by Infinite's words. Rather, he had a curious and confused expression on his face, one that Infinite wanted to wipe off with how the naivety was irritating him. Gadget shouldn't look confused. He should _know,_ know what it was like. Know how _cowardly and foolish_ it was to just _throw away all the power he had._

 **"You…you have all the power in the world, but no motivation for more. Life has become a chore to you. You are tired of it all. You want it all to simply end, want to simply _give up_ and end with nothing more than a pathetic _whimper_ ,"** Infinite snarled, anger spiking not only because of his disgust at Gadget's wishes, but also because how…similar the jackal himself once thought…

How he once was in the same position as the Guardian, considering his own life meaningless enough that he entertained with the thought of ending it…

 **"Why do you think my desire is to see the world in ruins?"** Infinite continued. **"I am tired of life, of what this world has to offer. So, why not destroy it? It will at least be more interesting than continuing on this meaningless existence. And…this is where I am at least _better_ than you. I at least have something else to live for, even if it is the Phantom Ruby and the wish to fulfill that desire. That is the reason I want that ruby. That is also why I refuse to give up on it."**

 _'I finally have something to live for, finally a goal in sight where there was once nothing but emptiness. And if you think I am going to give up without a fight, you are sorely mistaken…'_

 **"..."** There was silence after Infinite's admission. The jackal stared intensely at Gadget, who had a blank expression for only a few seconds before his lips curled up in a sardonic smirk. **"For one thing, I can understand where you are coming from. But there is something in your words that is incorrect."**

 **"It is not life that I am tired of."** Gadget ran a hand through his ( _no, not his, not his body, not his life to use, to take_ ), Riley's hair. **"It is of this duty that I never wanted that I am tired of. As such, I do not wish to see life in ruins. Also, you wish to change the world, for the sake of alleviating your boredom of life, but boredom is not the root behind my exhaustion. However... you are still not entirely incorrect…"**

Gadget paused here for a moment before, to Infinite's surprise, continuing, **"As such, perhaps in a pique of boredom, I will accept your proposal."**

* * *

 ** _DR. GERALD'S JOURNAL OF THE SUPERNATURAL – A STUDY  
ENTRY 4: HYBRIDS  
DATE OF ENTRY: 21st June, XXXX_**

 ** _INTRODUCTION_**

 _Hybrids are, as their name suggests, hybrids between mortals and spirits. A rare phenomenon, hybrids are born from the union of spirits and mortals. Not much is known about them, but I am fortunate enough that my acquaintance is very knowledgeable about the topic. I have not come across a hybrid, so this information is entirely through second-hand. Note: search for a hybrid for more observations._

 ** _DESCRPTION/APPEARANCE/ABILTIES_**

 _Hybrids have a mortal body and mortal needs. Their appearances are entirely of mortals, their species depending on their mortal parent and the mortal form the spirit parent took. And like both mortals and spirits, they are capable of emotions, of higher thinking and can develop personalities._

 _From their spirit parent, they inherit the Sight (the ability to see spirits; SEE Sight entry for more information), their abilities, though in a much weaker form, and their longevity. Hybrids are pseudo-immortals; they will not die of old age, but other causes of death will still affect them._

 ** _CULTURE_**

 _I have been told from my acquaintance that hybrids are generally shunned by the spirit community, the reason being that their existence threatens the secrecy of the supernatural world. As such, most hybrids are often left to be raised by their mortal parents. More often than not, the hybrids are misunderstood due to their spirit heritage and their more unnatural abilities._

 _Thus, it is a sad but true fact that hybrids rarely survive to adulthood. And those who do are subjected to being an outcast in both societies, unless by some very rare miracle they are able to find their place. It is rather common for hybrids to pose as a pure mortal or a spirit in their attempts to fit in, and this, as said before, takes a very rare miracle to work._

 _The fate of a hybrid is truly a sad one, their existence is a shade of grey that is rarely found in the world._

 ** _CONCLUSION_**

 _As hybrids are rare and vastly differing individuals, until I come across one myself, this entry will be held until notice._

 ** _EDIT (DATE OF ENTRY: 22nd July, XXXX):_** _Hybrids may have the appearance of mortals, but a sure-fire way to tell them apart is by their heterochromatic eyes. More often than not, one of a hybrid's will be their natural eye color and the other a vivid shade of gold, denoting their half-spirit nature_

 _(Note: my acquaintance himself also has moments when his eyes would shift to this vivid gold color, yet he is not a hybrid or a spirit. And still, there is his Sight. My own experience from being gifted the Sight tells me that having this ability does not automatically give you a connection to the supernatural that would result in this eye color. Also, from what I have gathered, gold eyes are a trademark of spirits. So I do wonder, just what kind of connection does my acquaintance have with the spirit world?)_

 _As such, this often makes me wonder. Just how many people with heterochromatic eyes I have met are actually hybrids...?_

 _**END OF ENTRY**_

* * *

 **And that's that. I decided to add another entry for hybrids, since exposition within the story is going to take a while. And oh boy, there is a lot.**

 **To avoid confusion, what the note in the edit means is that Gerald, when being given the Sight, does not go through any form of eye color change. He is still very much a mortal, and he also thinks Ether is a mortal that has experience with spirits.**

 **But after finding out that gold eyes are practically a big sign of being a spirit (either as a hybrid or a full spirit), he is starting to doubt that Ether is truly a pure mortal…**

 **Which he is not. Becoming a host of an earthbound spirit and letting himself be controlled often to the point where his speech is being shown in half-bold, half-normal format is enough to make him have one foot in the spirit world while the other is on mortal land.**

 **And I guess this also shows that the acquaintance Gerald kept mentioning is Ether…which is kind of obvious, now that I think about it, since who else has Gerald interacted with that would tell him about spirits other than Ether?**

 **Either way, I would like to add more, especially about Infinite and Gadget, like, what I mean by their similarities and all those little things, but putting this info in an exposition like this isn't my style, so you'll have to just wait for an interlude! Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter (even though it is very short).**


	17. REWRITE!

**I'M REWRITING THIS STORY! SO TO THOSE WHO FAVORITED/FOLLOWED/ETC., PLEASE CHECK OUT THE REWRITE! Here's a taste of how the rewrite's style has changed!**

* * *

Prologue

 _Everything is alive. From the living beings that inhabit our planet to even the rocks, the mountains, the wind, the sky, the waters and the ice, everything has a breath of life._

 _The living beings all flourish with life, growing and growing. Their Life Energy flows within, through the red blood that flows within their veins, the heart that beats and feels, the mind full of thoughts, and in their very nature to live._

 _The earth, the sky, and all the other elements are just as alive. Their energy may be of a different nature, of the planet, of the Gaia, but they are just as alive as the living beings. The movement of the earth below, the whisper of the wind, the flow of the water as it moves from high to low, from spring to sea, the fire that burns and flickers, and even the ice that is so cold._

 _And together, they make up the planet. One giant living organism full of energy, of Life and Gaia Energies._

 _Yet, there is another Energy the two shared… It is a catalyst, the spark of change that creates what would be seen as miracles to mere mortals, or catastrophic disasters. As such, Chaos is quite a fitting name for such kind of Energy…_

 _And it is through Chaos…_

* * *

The wind is unusually strong today.

It is an observation made by every inhabitant in Mystic Forest. Most of the birds are quick to huddle in their nests, waiting out the gale, while some daring avians take to the sky, riding the strong currents with extreme shows of aerobatics. Their feathers scatter in the wind, swirl around and around before something happens.

The wind carries Gaia Energy. It is through that energy that the wind moves, able to conjure up forces as strong as a hurricane or as faint as the mere breath of air being breathed out. Alone, it is nothing but wind.

But when a little Chaos is added…

* * *

 _…Beings called Spirits are born._

* * *

Impossibly green eyes blink open. They stare up at the endless blue sky, a color reflected in the deep blue fur. The shed feathers of the avians brush against the soft pelt, forming a cloak of sorts. They rustle, catching the wind as it breezes by.

And the Spirit smiles, the first breath of life flickering in those green, green eyes. Knowledge is gifted as instincts, and with that first breath, the Spirit laughs, rising to join the avians in the never-ending chase of the wind.

* * *

 _That was my beginning you just saw. Blessed by Chaos, I was born, with the wind as my eternal companion, its whispers in my ears and its restlessness in my bones. The wind is I and I am the wind, one and the same both of us are. It is the start of my life._

 _But it is not the start of the story I will tell you._


End file.
